Havering Heroes community fund receives £2k boost while £70k given to support local charities

It comes as the amount awarded in grants to charities from the Havering Funding Programme now totals £71,165.

The generous donation from Everyone Active means the Havering Heroes crowdfund is just £1,333 shy of the £10k target, with only 11 days to go.

All funds will go towards increasing the Havering Funding Programme and ensure more emergency grants are available to charities and voluntary organisations who need them.

This week a further £17,615 has been given to local voluntary and community organisations as part of a third round of funding.

It means that five more organisations from across the borough have received help after applying to the Havering Funding Programme, set up to support charities and voluntary organisations meet the rapidly changing needs of their communities in the wake of the Covid 19 crisis.

It will also help them prepare for recovery once the pandemic is over.

The Havering Funding Programme is a partnership between Havering Council, community network, Havering Compact, and seed funding organisation for the non-profit sector, The Fore. The fund enables smaller charities and constituted charities or community groups to apply for grants of up to £5,000 of emergency funding.

All applications were considered by the Havering Funding Programme panel.

They are assessed on how each organisation is helping disadvantaged and underrepresented communities across the borough to support their response to the crisis.

The five successful applicants are:

• Havering Citizens Advice Bureau, to be able to successfully respond to the demand on their services
• Mardyke Youth and Community Association, to continue to support young people and their community, running a foodbank
• Wykeham Centre and Church House, helping to fund the staff and allow them to increase their foodbank services 
• House of Polish and European Community, to continue their work as the first point of contact for residents with concerns about the pandemic including job losses
• No Collective, to continue to support their art space projects, particularly with young people, and to allow the community to experience and contribute to an art project from their own homes.

The funds will help these organisations to develop and adapt services through virtual or remote methods, support with running costs, and help sustain services disrupted by Coronavirus.
Extra cash being raised through the Havering Heroes SpaceHive crowdfund will help support the Funding Programme. 

Councillor Damian White, Leader of Havering Council, said:  

“Many thanks to our Leisure partner, Everyone Active, for the incredibly generous donation of £2,000 to the Havering Heroes. With this, we are well on track to hit our target. If you are in a position financially to donate, anything you could spare would make a huge difference.

“For example, a £5 donation could offer vulnerable isolated residents a hot meal from the Tapestry hot meal service. Meanwhile, a £10 donation could allow AddUp to continue to offer drama sessions to children with ADHD, who are struggling to cope in lockdown. Be a Havering Hero to our #HaveringHeroes and help us reach our £10,000 target if you can.”

Local small charities, not-for-profit organisations or social enterprises can apply for a grant by sending their details to info@thefore.org and they will send out a short registration form to complete and return.

If you are a Havering resident and would like to make a donation to support our most vulnerable residents, visit SpaceHive.