Since December we have given out £155,641.50 to Bedford Borough charities and voluntary organisations. These have included a number of different applicants; some of whom we have funded before and also some newer organisations.
Kempston based charity, Project 229, have received funding to continue their SPACE project, which is aimed at children and young people who have experienced domestic abuse.
Bedford Credit Union were given a grant to help increase financial inclusion in Bedford and improve the awareness of the Credit Union and its purpose.
We gave Q:Alliance funding to continue their QYouth scheme. QYouth supports young people identifying as LGBTQ+ within Bedford.
Bedford Academy will continue to receive funding for their school counselling service, working with Bedford Open Door to help students who are in need of support.
Bedford Creative Arts applied to our Covid-19 fund to recruit a Project Assistant to support the existing staff with the delivery of their arts programme to those within Bedford Borough.
We have also funded, Healthwatch Bedford to purchase some IT equipment to help with the move to virtual working which will prove vital for their role with assisting the delivery of the vaccine.
We have approved funding for the Learn to Swim programme, run by Modernian Swimming Club, to re-start after lockdown. This i programme helps those form disadvantaged families to learn to swim.
The last grant to be awarded in 2020 was to Basement at Bunyan. This funding will help to continue to run virtual art classes for those who are experiencing isolation due to lockdown.
In January, our Chair and Deputy chairs met to discuss some smaller grant applications. Three grants were approved at this meeting;
The Yard at Elstow will receive funding for a poly tunnel and some towels for their allotment tended to by students and young adults with learning difficulties.
We awarded Above and Beyond Cancer Care a grant to help them to continue their service supporting those diagnosed with cancer in Bedford after a loss of fundraising opportunities due to Covid-19.
Finally, Advice Bedfordshire were awarded a grant to finance the delivery of a Universal Credit Awareness Session. These sessions are fully booked and we look forward to hearing about how they have gone.
We have recently launched Phase 2 of our Covid-19 funding. For more information, please visit: https://www.harpurtrust.org.uk/article/498/covid-19-fund
We also continue to accept applications for our regular grants programme. For more information on this please visit https://www.harpurtrust.org.uk/grants-to-organisations
Not sure if you are eligible or which programme to apply to? Please drop us an email at grants@harpurtrust.org.uk or give us a call on 01234 369500.