- 11 LOCAL PROJECTS WILL BE SUPPORTED THROUGH THE COVID IMPACT FUND LAUNCHED BY CHESHIRE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION AND BENTLEY MOTORS EARLIER THIS YEAR
- THE PROJECTS, ALL WITHIN THE CREWE AREA, ARE FOCUSED UPON FOOD POVERTY, MENTAL HEALTH AND DEBT ADVICE
- OVER 5,000 PEOPLE IN THE LOCAL AREA STAND TO BENEFIT DIRECTLY, WITH A FURTHER ESTIMATED 10,000 BENEFITTING INDIRECTLY
- ORGANISATIONS BEING SUPPORTED INCLUDE A COMMUNITY FOOD PANTRY, A LOCAL DEBT ADVICE PHONE LINE SERVICE AND MENTAL HEALTH COUNSELLING PROJECT
- SUPPORT FOR THE LOCAL COMMUNITY IS A KEY PART OF BENTLEY’S BEYOND100 COMMITMENT, WHICH FOCUSES ON ADVANCING LIFE CHANCES THROUGH ITS CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY PROGRAMME
(Crewe, 24 May 2021).- Bentley Motors and Cheshire Community Foundation are pleased to confirm details of the local organisations that have successfully secured grants to deliver projects targeting Covid recovery in Crewe over the next 12 months.
The one-off grants, which range from £7,800 to £25,000 have been awarded to projects that tackle food poverty; mental health and wellbeing; debt relief and financial education – recognising that many people will have been affected by all three issues as a result of the Covid pandemic. Enhancing services across these key areas will support people needing joined up support. Over 5,000 individuals are expected to benefit first hand across the 11 projects funded.
The successful applicants include Motherwell the women’s mental health charity, Pennysmart money advice organisation, and Chance Changing Lives community pantry. These projects will have a real measurable impact, directly involving over 5,000 people, helping to rebuild their lives after the pandemic and sending positive ripples out through the community with an estimated 10,000 further family members due to benefit indirectly.
This new fund has significantly bolstered the funding available to local not-for-profit organisations in 2021, allowing them to focus on their vital work in the community.
The fund will support:
- Food and operating costs for a community pantry.
- Food, staffing and fuel for a food bank to deliver food parcels locally for those unable to collect.
- Food, volunteer and vehicle running costs at a homelessness centre.
- Counselling services for young women aged 13-18
- Grief counselling for people bereaved through Covid-19.
- Schools based group counselling sessions for children and young people coming out of lockdown.
- Salary costs, the recruitment of ten new volunteers and IT equipment for local citizen support advisors to meet increased demand.
- Salary costs and staff training to enhance Mental Health First Aiders.
- Training volunteer counsellors to enhance support at an LGBT+ charity.
- Staffing costs and overheads to increase support available for a money advice helpline service.
- The salary for an additional debt coach in a debt counselling organisation.
Bentley’s Member of the Board for People, Digitalisation and IT, Dr Astrid Fontaine comments:
“Communities everywhere have been profoundly affected by Covid. Our goal in establishing this fund with Cheshire Community Foundation – as part of our wider “Come Back Stronger” – Covid recovery campaign, is to support locally run projects that can make a quick and tangible change to people’s lives in the Crewe area.
“We know that many local organisations are themselves struggling with funding issues due to the pandemic, so this additional injection of support enables them to stay focused on delivery at this critical time.
“Crewe has been Bentley’s home for more than 75 years, and our relationship with the town is key to who we are. We are very pleased to be able to make this support available at this time.”
Zoe Sheppard, CEO of Cheshire Community Foundation, commented:
“The whole team at Cheshire Community Foundation is thrilled to support our valued partner Bentley with this grants programme. We’re delighted to announce the award of these 11 grants, all of which will have life changing impacts for the people involved. The charitable organisations are experts in their field; now they can get on with their work, which is more vital than ever as we come out of the pandemic. Bentley’s generosity and commitment to their home town of Crewe is truly inspiring.”
Cheshire Community Foundation works with small charities and voluntary groups across Cheshire, helping to connect them to companies that can help to make a difference. Bentley and the Cheshire Community Foundation have worked together for almost nine years since the foundation was launched in 2012.
Source: Bentley
Photograph: Bentley
