keep warm, keep well community grants still available

There’s still time for County Durham organisations to apply for grant funding to help their communities this winter.

The Keep Warm, Keep Well community grant fund, from believe housing, offers £500 grants to community groups and non-for-profit organisations towards projects that support people during the cost of living crisis.

The money can be used for new initiatives or to sustain current activities such as warm spaces, cost-saving workshops, food banks and more.

Since the scheme was launched last October, grants have been awarded to more than 20 projects across County Durham.

These included warm spaces for families outside of school hours, a Christmas lunch for isolated people, a parent and toddler knitting group, vouchers offering free entry and a meal at football matches, and care packages for older people.

Jo Avery, from believe housing, said: “The Keep Warm, Keep Well grant is providing vital support and relief for people in County Durham during the cost of living crisis.

“We’ve supported a wide variety of projects throughout the winter and there’s still time for organisations to apply for funding and help even more people.”

Park Hill Residents Group is among the group put Keep Warm, Keep Well funding to good use.

Located between Bowburn and Coxhoe, Park Hill has no community venue to host a warm space for residents.

Instead, the group used the £500 to buy hot water bottles, fleeces and draught excluders for 52 households.

The items were delivered just in time for Christmas and, as Chair Alfie Dolan explains, they’ve made a real difference to residents.

“We were only originally looking to support 25 people, but we saw an opportunity to help even more people in the area.

“All the recipients were incredibly grateful to receive their items to help them through this tough winter.

“A gesture as small as a hot water bottle or fleece can make a massive difference to lives in our local community. We’d like to thank believe housing for their support through their generous grant,” he said.

Not-for-profit groups can find our more here.