Another £86,000 worth of funding from the LCR Cares COVID-19 Community Fund has been allocated in grants (Thursday 9th April 2020) to keep the Liverpool City Region’s charities and organisations providing vital services to the community. The total given to community organisations now stands at more than £160,000.
19 organisations ranging from foodbanks to children’s play centres have been given the grants to help them continue delivering food and care packages to vulnerable people, telephone and online services providing counselling and helping reduce isolation, as well as debt management and financial advice during this difficult time.
LCR Cares was launched by Metro Mayor Steve Rotheram in partnership with registered charity Community Foundation for Merseyside, with the aim of raising £1million to support local community and voluntary organisations on the frontline of helping the city region’s communities cope with the impact of Coronavirus.
Going into the Easter weekend, the fund now stands at nearly £500,000 after generous donations including £5000 from former Liverpool FC vice-captain Jamie Carragher’s 23 Foundation, £50,000 from Liverpool City Region-based retailer Home Bargains, and a further £123,250 from the National Emergencies Trust, as well as scores of smaller donations from individuals.
The 19 recipients are:
Knowsley
Big Help Project
£5000
To pay for the food for the foodbank for up to one week.
Knowsley
Tailored Advice Services in Communities
£5000
To continue delivering advice to existing and new clients over the phone. Funding will cover the costs for two advisers for an additional 10hrs per week over 12 weeks as well as stationery, postage and printer ink costs.
Knowsley
Apostolic Church
£5000
To deliver food packages to those in need. Funding will cover volunteer travel expenses, food and essentials for packages and protective equipment, sanitiser etc.
Liverpool
Granby Toxteth Development Trust
£5000
To provide emergency food and health packs to the most vulnerable and elderly in the community.
Liverpool
The Brain Charity
£4687
Provide on the phone counselling sessions for vulnerable community members to help reduce the impact of isolation. The grant will be used for salary costs.
Liverpool
City of Liverpool Football Club
£5000
To maintain the group’s delivery service to vulnerable and isolated residents. Funding would contribute towards volunteer costs including travel, overheads including rent and cleaning costs and purchase of wholesale items to be delivered.
Liverpool
Micah Liverpool
£4920
Funding will support the continuation of the foodbank by covering staff costs for 12 weeks and additional food and essential items.
Sefton
Galloway’s Society for the Blind
£5000
To relieve the loneliness of 389 blind/partially-sighted people in Sefton who use the service regularly. Funding will contribute towards the costs of two sight loss advisors, a Talking News coordinator and a Communications coordinator to continue the service via audio and other means.
St Helens
Citadel Arts
£2500
Deliver a virtual programme for vulnerable people in the community, this will be a way to improve mental health and wellbeing during the Coronavirus Crisis. The grant will be used for performer costs and facilitator costs.
Wirral
Wirral Youth Zone
£4865
Provide sessions for vulnerable people and offer food, hygiene and arts/craft equipment. The grant will be used for staff and equipment for the packs.
Wirral
Koala North West (previously known as Home-Start Wirral, change of name 1/4/20)
£3000
To offer support via bespoke telephone and video calls for parents with young children and pregnant women and to deliver food and essentials to those most in need. Funding would cover staff costs, a laptop with camera and the costs of food and essentials.
Liverpool
Liverpool Homeless Football Club
£3700
Deliver food parcels, family supplies, feminine hygiene products and offer coaching support via online services. The grant will be used for volunteer expenses and items for the parcels.
Liverpool
Garston Adventure Playground
£3489
Provide food, essentials and activity packs to people in the community, the activity pack will be so that people are able to join in with online youth club sessions. The grant will be used for staff costs, ingredients and materials.
Liverpool
Daisy Inclusive UK
£5000
The grant is to cover revenue lost as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak and pay for staff costs to keep the foodbank up and running.
Liverpool
Womens Health Information & Support Centre (WHISC)
£5000
Provide support for vulnerable members of the group via the phone, this will help to reduce isolation. The grant will be used for staff, Management overheads contribution towards phone bill costs.
Liverpool
Autism Adventures Training Ltd Community Interest Company
£4900
Provide workshop videos to vulnerable members of the community that are struggling with isolation. The grant will be used for instructors, food vouchers and staff costs.
Wirral
The Local Carers Network
£5000
Provide an online platform to support families in who have disabled children and offer food packages.
Sefton
Care Merseyside
£4500
Provide a service for vulnerable people in the community by offering wellbeing videos and telephone calls. The grant will be used for salary, phone bills and website developments.
Sefton
VENUS
£5000
Deliver essential food and other items to vulnerable women and families. Costs covered include travel, gas and electricity, toiletries, cleaning products, food, toys for children and office stationery etc.
Details on how to donate are on the Combined Authority’s website. Search “LCRCares” or visit www.lcrcares.co.uk
Community organisations can apply for grants by visiting: www.cfmerseyside.org.uk