Grants to boost mental health
Covid-19 has affected everyone’s mental health to some degree and for some the legacy will be long lasting.
That’s why we’re pleased to announce almost £32,000 is being shared between 12 organisations delivering services to boost people’s mental health across the district as part of our Wellbeing Support Grants scheme.
They are:
- The Canterbury Umbrella integrated café service that provides social support to people in Canterbury with physical and mental health issues
- Catching Lives to provide a set of mobile outreach centres for homeless people and rough sleepers in the city and major towns within the district
- City Impact for its Bags of Connection project providing activity kits to keep isolated individuals active. This money is focused on providing support for year 7 pupils who have moved to new schools during the pandemic to help them settle in
- East Kent Schools Together for the continuation of The Big Sing, a virtual choir across many schools in the district and the wider east Kent area providing fun and a sense of community
- Espression Arts to provide doorstep visits to older, isolated residents
- Food Friends to promote social inclusion through a neighbourhood meal sharing initiative
- Insightful Healthy Lifestyle Solutions to continue and increase the number of exercise classes and social meetings between users
- Moving Memory to support members with visual impairments and/or chronic illness to access online creative movement sessions that people would have usually attended in person
- Mustard Seed Singers for their weekly Talking and Singing session for people experiencing mental health problems
- Over 60s Community Service to provide longer support sessions for vulnerable older people who show signs of mental health problems and social isolation.
- Red Zebra to extend the duration of its befriending and community car services
- Stepping Stones to help pay for training for staff and families to provide them with the tools to respond to children’s emotional needs which may be increased because of increased isolation from other children at a key stage in the development of their social skills and prepare them for life at school
Caroline Cooper, our Head of Commercial and Cultural Development, said: “We’re really pleased to be able to give this money to a wide range of local organisations that work hard to boost people’s mental health or support who need help.
“Our impact assessment shows this is a key strand of work as we all try to get back on our feet and restore some semblance of normality in our lives.”
Community organisations can apply for a range of grants from us.
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Published: 29 March 2021