Grants awarded to local community groups by Action Together

Fifteen local community groups across the Rochdale borough have been awarded grants by accredited volunteer centre Action Together.

A vital community and voluntary sector organisation for Oldham, Rochdale and Tameside, Action Together launched its fundraising appeal and its Covid-19 Community Response Fund two weeks ago in a bid to provide groups and charities in these areas with urgent funding.

Awakening Minds, Bowlee Community Association, Castlemere Community Centre, Central Mosque, Demesne Community Centre, Europia, Middleton Popstars Academy of Performing Arts, SVP Heywood Foodbank, The Sanctuary Trust and Vintage Worx Community Development Trust have all been awarded £1,000 each from the Community Response Fund.

The funding will allow the groups to supply food parcels and shop for those who are self-isolating, provide food for NHS staff at Rochdale Infirmary, provide PPE supplies and safety kits, produce online content such as exercise classes and virtual afternoon tea, and support enquiries for welfare advice and how to claim sick pay.

Darnhill Festival Association has been awarded £977 to create and distribute 125 emergency art packs for disadvantaged families who live in the Darnhill area, whilst Hebron Church has been awarded £602.52 to use Chalkers Fresh Produce and Costco to eliminate extra visits to the supermarket.

Hare Hill House has been awarded £528 to provide continuing contact, support and signposting to a community that is vulnerable and approximately half of whom do not use the internet or social media. The project will encourage them to keep physically and mentally active in the home by providing a range of activities using both online and offline communications.

The Milnrow and Newhey Resident Watch has been awarded £200 to purchase health and safety items for volunteers when helping the community, and WHAG’s community enterprise UP CIC has been awarded £600 to provide two half-day health and wellbeing sessions via Zoom for frontline workers.

There are two pots of funding available for local community groups, up to £200, or up to £1,000.

You can apply for the fund here:

• www.actiontogether.org.uk/action-together-covid-19-community-response-fund-2020

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If you don’t need to access funding, but can help donate, Action Together is raising money for the emergency community response to coronavirus in Oldham, Rochdale and Tameside.

Your donation could help to provide telephone advice, support and companionship for older people to prevent them from feeling isolated during self-isolation, or it could help a local foodbank to provide food parcels to more homes than ever before. By donating, you could help a community group support local people.

All the money raised will go to local groups and charities to help them continue to provide vital support.

Donate now to support groups and charities in Rochdale: 

www.justgiving.com/campaign/RochdaleCoronavirus