First Surviving Winter Grants Awarded
Somerset Community Foundation has already started to turn donations to the Surviving Winter Appeal around to help pensioners and other vulnerable groups in Somerset.

Over £15,000 has been donated in the first 5 weeks of the appeal and Surviving Winter grants are already being used by Forum 21 in West Somerset, Yeovil Day Centre, Somerset Sight, Mind in Sedgemoor, Homestart in Bridgwater, Mendip and Taunton Citizen Advice Bureaux and Yarlington Homes.

Justin Sargent, Chief Executive of Somerset Community Foundation said “Using our experience from last year and our connections in local communities, we are able to distribute funds much earlier in advance of the winter. We are hearing how many pensioners on very low incomes are very worried about the rising cost of energy and organisations like the CABs and Yarlington Homes can target those pensioners who really need financial help.

At the same time we recognise that other groups are also affected badly during the cold weather which is why we are also funding support groups for low-income families and people with mental health problems during the winter.”
The Foundation has many more applications from organisations than it can fund at the moment and continues to call for anyone thinking of donating to act as soon as they can. Visit www.somersetcf.org.uk/surviving_winter_appeal.html to find out more.

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