Guidance for charities and community groups
The government has published some guidance that might be useful for voluntary and community groups which can be accessed here.
Volunteers
The Gloucestershire Community Help Hub has a wide range of people offering to help out during the current crisis. If your organisation would benefit from an extra pair of hands, then please get in touch. If you could supply details of what you need help with and the preferred method of contact, they will collate the requests for help and email them to the people on the register.
https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/gloucestershires-community-help-hub/
Gloucestershire Community Help Hub
This has now been in operation since April 2020 and provides a range of support for local people. Where this is a food need, details are passed onto the Cheltenham Trust who have put a food distribution project in place. The collection of prescriptions will go to CBH and CBC staff will pick up if there any other needs. It also includes a safeguarding or mental health crisis team to provide support where there is an immediate risk to an individual's wellbeing. If you have anyone you are worried about, or unable to support, please register them on the help hub.
https://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/gloucestershires-community-help-hub/
Sanitary products
If you are aware of anyone that needs supplies of sanitary products, the council has a supply that we can make available via our unstoppable project. Please contact Jen Tucker via email Jennifer.Tucker@cheltenham.gov.uk
Funding sources for community groups and charities
Cheltenham Community Resilience Fund
Gloucestershire County Council and Cheltenham Borough Council have created a joint fund to support local voluntary sector agencies and community groups who are supporting vulnerable people during the Covid-19 crisis to cover additional costs they may incur due to increased activity or functions that they have insufficient resources to meet. The application process is quick and they aim to make decisions about funding within a few days. In this way they hope to get much needed small grants out to community groups.
Plus there is funding available from the following sources:
Gloucestershire Coronavirus Emergency Fund
https://www.gloucestershirecf.org.uk/gloucestershire-coronavirus-emergency-response-fund.
Barnwood Trust
Information about the Gloucestershire Funders COVID-19 response and how to apply for grants is on the Barnwood Trust website at https://www.barnwoodtrust.org/news/gloucestershire-funders-covid19-response/
Severn Trent Water
Gloucestershire Community Foundation
https://www.gloucestershirecf.org.uk/appeal/gloucestershire-coronavirus-appeal
Rural Response Emergency Grants Programme
https://www.princescountrysidefund.org.uk/grant-giving-programme/grant-programme
Sport England Emergency Fund
https://www.sportengland.org/how-we-can-help/our-funds/community-emergency-fund
National Lottery Emergency Fund
https://www.tnlcommunityfund.org.uk/about/coronavirus-updates.
CAF Coronavirus Emergency Fund
https://www.cafonline.org/charities/grantmaking/caf-coronavirus-emergency-fund.