The difference we’re making in Somerset:
- Thanks to the generosity of our fundholders and supporters we were able to fund 288 good causes in 2018-19, reaching over 40,000 people from Wincanton to Watchet
- 61 individuals have benefited from direct funding across the year
- We’ve funded a huge range of causes, from youth projects to support for older people with dementia, and from mental health groups to projects making art from rubbish
- Almost half of those are too small to be registered charities and often struggle to get funding for their vital grassroots work
- Around half of those who applied for grants with us also received advice about other sources of funding or links to other groups doing similar work
- A recent survey of our grant applicants scored our grants team 4.5 out of 5 for their availability and helpfulness
- Since the Hinkley Point C (HPC) Community Fund was launched in November 2017, over £2 million grant funding has been awarded
Grants made to organisations during 2018/19:
Below you can read case studies of grants we have made and some examples of effective philanthropy through the Foundation.
Coronavirus Appeal Stories: Taunton & District Mencap Society They told us how a grant for £2,000 from our Somerset Coronavirus Appeal is helping the team at Taunton make sure their self-isolating service users have been able to stay in contact with each other since the lockdown began. Coronavirus Appeal Stories: Timberscombe Good Neighbours They tell us more about how they are helping the predominantly older local community in this rural Exmoor village. Coronavirus Appeal Stories: Fair Frome Coronavirus Appeal Stories: St Margaret's Hospice They told us how a grant for £2,000 from our Somerset Coronavirus Appeal is helping them to provide 24-7 support to those with life-limiting illnesses. Coronavirus Appeal Stories: On Your Bike They told us how a £2,750 grant from our Somerset Coronavirus Appeal is helping local NHS staff to get to work. Coronavirus Appeal Stories: Feed Avalon Coronavirus Appeal Stories: Link Centre Coronavirus HPC Fund Stories: Bridgwater Together Coronavirus Appeal Stories: Taunton Scrubbers Coronavirus Appeal Stories: Highbridge Area Foodbank Coronavirus Appeal Stories: Young Somerset Our Stories: Galhampton Village Hall Our Stories: Taunton Open Door The John and Dorothy Ball Fund John and Dorothy Ball were long-term residents of West Somerset, and their daughter, Mary wanted to remember them by creating a fund in their memory. Read the entire case study here Our Stories: On Your Bike Iain Garside is the manager at On Your Bike, a project offering training to the socially disadvantaged, ex-service personnel and long-term unemployed. He spoke to us recently about the fantastic work they deliver, and how giving someone a sense of achievement can turn lives around. Funding for Children's World Core Costs Most of Children’s World’s core funding is accrued at Glastonbury Festival, where they run a charity bar and café upon which they heavily rely to get them through each year. However, in 2016, due to extremely wet weather at the festival, the charity experienced an unprecedented reduction in earnings. Coronavirus Appeal Stories: Citizens Advice Mendip Active & In Touch Frome Active & In Touch provides a vital stepping stone out of isolation for Frome residents Click here to read more about the impact of this grant Our Stories: Purple Elephant Funding helps give men a sense of belonging Burnham-on-Sea & Highbridge Men’s Shed received one of the first grants from the HPC Community Fund towards the costs of expanding its project. Read how the funding has helped here. Our Stories: Work-Wise Back on Track helping young people's confidence increase Back on Track helping schoolchildren gain life skills and confidence through horse riding Click here to read more about the impact of this grant. 15 Years of Inspiring Philanthropy In 2018, to celebrate 15 years of inspiring philanthropy here at Somerset Community Foundation, we looked at some of the people, groups and organisations with whom we have had long standing relationships and changed Somerset for the better over a sustained number of years. Read our 15 years case studies here Somerset Village Agents The scale and duration of the flooding during the winter of 2013/14 was unprecedented and Village Agents were invaluable in helping reach vulnerable people and get them to safety. Read the full case study by clicking here. 
Taunton & District Mencap Society supports people with a learning disability, and their families and carers in Taunton and the surrounding area.
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Timberscombe Good Neighbours was formed by volunteers in February 2020 and provides a range of community support for people in need including transport for medical appointments, collection of prescriptions, and shopping.
Fair Frome are a local charity who run a food bank, alongside providing hot meals, furniture and support to people in need in Frome. They tell us how a grant from the Somerset Coronavirus Appeal helped them respond to a huge increase in demand.
St. Margaret's Hospice provide a range of services and support for people with life-limiting illnesses and their families.
On Your Bike is a social enterprise that delivers training and work placements for disadvantaged young people, giving them the skills and confidence to move into employment through recycling and repairing unwanted bikes and selling them back to the local community.
Feed Avalon runs a range of projects that help give fair access to nutritious and sustainable food, including cooking courses in their community kitchen and garden. They tell us how a Somerset Coronavirus Appeal grant has helped them to adapt their work, providing meals to people in need in the Mendip area of Somerset.
The Link Centre is an active and popular community centre in the heart of the Halcon area of Taunton. We awarded them a £2,500 grant to provide food parcels and support to vulnerable families. They told us more about how the grant helped them change how they now support people in need, since the coronavirus outbreak.
Bridgwater Together is an annual event celebrating the town’s vibrant cultural diversity through music, food, storytelling, dance, film and information sharing. Michal Puzynski told us how they are finding new and innovative ways to ensure communities are still able to connect - even when they can’t be together.
Taunton Scrubbers are a group of volunteers who are working together to support community health workers in and around Taunton by putting their sewing skills to use. They tell us about their journey and how a £2,500 grant from the Somerset Coronavirus Appeal has helped them support local NHS staff and health care workers.
Highbridge Area Foodbank provides food parcels to people affected by food poverty. They tell us more about how, since the outbreak of coronavirus, the group has transformed its approach, and now offers safe home deliveries.
Young Somerset delivers youth work that is led by the young person. They tell us how a grant from the Somerset Coronavirus Appeal helped them quickly adapt to working remotely by providing specialist online to help them continue to support young people.
Galhampton is a village of 450 people which describes itself as having ‘a strong and vibrant community.’ At the heart of the community was a crumbling village hall, home to a wealth of activities and services that were of huge benefit to local residents. We were delighted to make a grant to support the community as they raised an astonishing £1 million to build their fantastic new village hall.
Mark Woodcock, manager at Taunton Open Door, a homeless day shelter, told us Graham’s story: how he became homeless and the many years of support the charity provided to help him move into independent living.
Citizens Advice Mendip are a local charity providing support for people who need advice on a range of issues, including work, benefits, debt and housing. They tell us how a grant from the Somerset Coronavirus Appeal helped them respond to a huge increase in demand.
Purple Elephant runs summer holiday activities for children in Frome, helping support families in need to access support and make memories. Sue Willis, Founder of the charity, tells us more about their work.
Work-Wise is a job club based in Taunton. The majority of staff are dedicated job seeker mentors, all of whom are volunteers. The project provides vital support for unemployed people including writing and improving CVs, help with online job searches, preparation for job interviews, and referrals to other employment services and agencies such as Mind in Somerset and Citizen’s Advice.
