Strong Foundations Grant recipients in and around Bristol

Colleagues from our Temple Quarter Enterprise Campus project selected the following organisations:  

• Let's Talk About Loss supports people aged 18-35 who are grieving. The organisation offers groups, events, and other resources to those who need it. Since the pandemic the need for this support has rapidly increased and the team now needs to urgently scale up its work. Funding will be used to support those from black and minority ethnic backgrounds with the aim of breaking down taboos and representing those often unrepresented in grief and mental health services.  

• The City of Bristol Aquatics is a water sports club for swimming, including para swimming, artistic swimming (formerly Synchronised Swimming) and water polo. Funding will be used to replace the old, frayed and wrongly branded water polo hats being used by the senior men’s team. These hats protect the players ears, enable each player to identify each other and represent the team, therefore also giving them a sense of team pride. 

• Dame Emily Park Project (DEPP) is a volunteer group that organises activities within Dame Emily Park and maintains the park’s pleasant environment and important facilities. The park is currently lacking in the appropriate plants and space for wildlife to flourish. Funding will be used to encourage wildlife into the area through new landscaping that will include native plant species and fruit bushes. The finished result will also provide a clean green space for local people to explore. 

• Creative Tuition is an inclusive education collective that seek to build confidence in young people born into disadvantaged situations through providing them with a safe, nurturing, and inclusive learning environment. Our funding will enable them to support young people with free mental health support, mentoring, STEM subject tuition and life skills development training. They will also be able to provide free laptops to those who need them.  

• Helping Homeless Believe provides outreach services to those who are or who have experienced homelessness. They support service users to engage with other relevant services such as attending mental health assessments, housing, and benefits. They also offer those in need a safe place to have some food, use a computer, have a shower, and wash their clothing. With spiralling insurance, tax, and fuel costs it’s become harder for the team to afford their much-used van. Funding from our grant will enable the team to continue to use it for their outreach work including delivering food parcels to those living in hostels.  

• Clevedon Pilot Gig Club is a local Community Sea Rowing Club. The club has never had a home for its kit or equipment which has made it hard to maintain its wooden heritage racing boats which easily become damaged during the summer months. The money provided through our grant will go towards the purchase of a Gig Shed where the boats and the associated equipment can be stored.  
• One25 is a Bristol-based charity that supports women who are street sex-working or at risk of street sex work in Bristol. Its outreach van meets women on the street every night to provide food, condoms, clean needles, and a safe space. On the van, women are encouraged to visit its health hub where they can see a GP, sexual health nurse, prescribing nurse, and GP nurse. Volunteers also provide food and clothes donations from the health hub. Grant funding will enable the team to continue to offer this service for 6 months, during this time they expect to help over 130 women.  
• Dings Community Association is responsible for taking care of residents' needs and keeping the area safe. The team will use the funding provided to continue the running of its successful junior youth club created for children 8-11 years. The weekly group provides positive play opportunities and activities to support the children’s mental and physical health. Sessions are well attended with 20+ regular attendees each week.  
• 1625 Independent People works with young people who are homeless, leaving care or at risk of homelessness in Bristol and the Southwest. Most of the young people it helps arrive isolated, lonely and low on self-confidence due to complex, interconnected economic, social and personal challenges including poverty, childhood trauma and family breakdown. Funding will be used to deliver an Engagement Programme and youth-led social group, Project Grapevine. These groups will support young people to stay active, develop life skills and reduce loneliness through a wide range of activities including cookery courses, football and music sessions and our youth-led social group. 
   
• Golden Hill Sports is a community-based charity that runs a sports and social club for its members. It provides cricketing opportunities for senior men, women, junior girls and boys, and junior football through Golden Hill Sonics. The money provided will be invested in coaching qualifications for volunteers and protective equipment for the girls team

• Bristol Mind is working hard to promote and build awareness of ways people can prevent mental health challenges. Funding will help to engage 250 additional people over the period of their campaign, A Million Steps for Better Mental Health.

Congratulations to all the recipients who have been awarded funds up to £3,000 to make a difference in their local community. 

At the end of last year, we invited local charities and community groups to apply for a share of our Strong Foundations Grants in eight locations situated near our projects across the country. Together the 2023 Strong Foundations Grants amount to £145,000.