Strong Foundations Grant recipients in Poole and Bournemouth

8th January 2024

Congratulations to the eight charities and grassroots initiatives that have been awarded a share of the £15,000 fund via ActionFunder, from our Poole and Bournemouth Strong Foundations Grant for 2023.

Colleagues from our Healthcare sector selected the following organisations:

Maddie’s Miracle provides perinatal and breastfeeding education, guidance and support to women and families around the UK. Our grant will enable Maddie’s to offer a face-to-face breastfeeding and perinatal support group in partnership with Bournemouth Food Bank. This group and the local outreach work done by the team provides a safe, welcoming space for families visit and access the expert support they need at this important stage of life.

BHCA is a local charitable housing association that works with families and individuals to find a way towards a safe future. This grant will enable the team to improve the look and feel of the communal spaces across its homeless services in Bournemouth. The team are excited to refresh the centres and purchase new furniture.

Poole Bay Archers is an archery club set up in 2023, aiming to bring archery back into the heart of the community and looks to bring people of all ages, genders, religion and physical abilities together. The grant provided will be spent on new equipment including bows and targets that are accessible for all to use.

Poole Sailability is a Royal Yachting Association accredited volunteer run charity whose mission is to support disabled people to sail. Our grant covers the cost of running the weekly session, attended by pupils from two local Special Educational Needs schools, plus fuel, maintenance and protective gear for all the children.

Christchurch Life Saving Club have been providing a lifeguarding service and first aid since 1970. Their Nippers programme, which provides lifeguard training for 7–10-year-olds - is increasingly popular. The funding will go towards purchasing much needed nipper boards.

Soroptimist International Great Britain and Ireland (SIGBI) was set up in 1938 and has 6,000 members in 270 Clubs in 18 countries in Great Britain, Ireland and countries in Asia, the Caribbean and Malta. They work to educate, empower and enable opportunities for women and girls in the hardest to reach areas. The funding provided will enable the organisation to run its annual STEAM project for year 8 and 9 girls from local schools The groups meet on a regular basis and the whole group comes together as required but at least once every three months during the year.

Diverse Abilities supports people living with profound physical and learning disabilities. Their respite centre, Lily’s Place, is in desperate need of some new sensory equipment and toys. The team have identified a Wi-fi integrated sensory cabin that will have a huge impact on fulfilling the children’s sensory needs. The money provided through this grant will make purchasing this a possibility.

University Hospitals Dorset NHS Charity set up in 2021 to provide equipment and resources that would not otherwise be funded. Our grant will enable the team to purchase a robotic tilt table which can be used in early life-changing rehabilitation with patients who have suffered severe neurological damage or spinal injuries.

The project teams and I are really pleased to be able to offer grants to such deserving organisations in the Bournemouth and Poole area. We’re looking forward to hearing more about the projects and seeing the grant funding in action.

At the end of last year, we invited local charities and community groups to apply for a share of our Strong Foundations Grants in eight locations situated near our projects across the country. Together the 2023 Strong Foundations Grants amount to £145,000.

Since 2021, our Strong Foundations Grants via ActionFunder aim at supporting small charities and grassroots organisations in and around our sites and offices. So far, we have funded over 90 projects, donating more than £220,000 to support initiatives that support our inclusive values and promote community cohesion.

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