New grants in response to the cost-of-living crisis will make a difference to residents
The first grants from the Council’s new £100,000 Community Support Fund have been awarded.
Grants go to:
Charlie’s Angels Kitchen
Charlie’s Angels Kitchen is a Rusthall based organisation with a mission to reduce food waste and repurpose surplus while enhancing unity in the community
Nourish
Nourish community food bank delivers three days’ emergency food and supplies to people in crisis
Number One Community Trust
Number One Community Trust is a community centre serving the residents of Showfields and Ramslye They aim to enhance the quality of life of the residents through events, activities and community projects
Tunbridge Wells & District Volunteer Bureau
Tunbridge Wells & District Volunteer Bureau (Community Car Service) support elderly and vulnerable people in their own homes including providing safe transport for people who are unable to use public transport due to poor physical or mental health or mobility issues
Parish larders
Parish larders benefiting are St Philip’s, St Mark’s, St Matthew’s, Baptists’ Larder, Southborough Larder and Rusthall Larder
West Kent Mind
West Kent Mind is a local mental health charity
About the Community Support Fund
The Community Support Fund was created by councillors in response to the cost-of-living crisis which is directly impacting upon many of the most vulnerable households in the borough.
The Council's Deputy Leader Nancy Warne said: "The council has recognised the urgency of addressing the cost-of-living crisis. We have been swift in our response by ensuring that additional funds have been secured and allocated to support those helping people in the borough during particularly challenging times."
Grants will reach residents through a variety of ways
The range of organisations that are to receive grants means the money will reach those who need it through a variety of ways:
Charlie’s Angels Kitchen will use the grant to provide additional hot meals and ingredients for people to make their own meals at home.
The Tunbridge Wells & District Volunteer Bureau will provide access to online services to elderly and vulnerable people in their own homes.
Nourish will now be able to continue to distribute fuel vouchers to those in need of emergency support. Without this grant Nourish would not be able to provide fuel support.
Number One Community Trust will increase their offer of subsidised hot meals for children and extend their opening hours to provide a warm space for anyone who needs it as well as continuing their pre-school provision and family and holiday support.
Parish larders will continue their existing provision during this period of inflation and increased demand for their services. As well as supporting families, larders are very important in helping reduce food waste.
West Kent Mind applied to the fund to be able to increase their capacity to provide free, fast-track access to counselling services for vulnerable people experiencing domestic abuse who are in or on the edge of a mental health crisis.
Cross-party approval
In order to distribute the one-off grants the Council invited charities and similar organisations to apply for grants for specific projects, to expand existing services, or for newly identified needs.
The grants were approved by a cross-party committee of councillors once all bids had been received.
Information about help and support available
Mindful that people across the country are facing a rise in the cost of living we have information about the range of support that is available, you can see this in our Cost of living support pages.
