We all want to improve life in our communities, and we all see local people struggling and wish we could help. But unless you’re an expert it can be hard to know where to start: should we help children and build a brighter future, or should we support the adults who impact those childhoods so profoundly? What about our aging population and the isolation we know they’re feeling? What about disabilities, mental health, domestic violence, crime?
Cheshire Community Foundation’s experts have been answering these questions, using local donations for local good since 2011. The funds they receive are passed on to all kinds of projects, helping everyone from babies to older people, all over Cheshire and Warrington.
Previously donations had to be in the thousands, meaning this way of supporting the community was only available to the privileged few. But this November they are launching Love Cheshire, a scheme to enable local people to give monthly, from as little as £5/month. The suggested £30/month option allows you to change local lives with just £1 a day. One-off donations are also an option, bringing this groundbreaking initiative to everyone in the community. Fundraising events, donations in lieu of Christmas cards or gifts, and choosing Love Cheshire as your nominated charity are all welcome choices for those who want to give back to the beautiful place we call home.
Cheshire Community Foundation has already awarded over £14m in grants to local, grassroots charities here in Cheshire and Warrington. The nonprofit researches the local issues, designs grant programmes to address them and advertises these funding opportunities to local charities. The Foundation assesses the applications and performs due diligence on every organisation to ensure every penny will be well spent. Successful projects are then matched with a donor (business or individual) who is passionate about that issue.
Mel Sproston, CEO of Cheshire Community Foundation said: “There’s one flaw in our process: sometimes a project can’t be matched with a donor. It could be a superb idea that just doesn’t have the emotional appeal of others. Love Cheshire donations will fill our ‘discretionary’ pot: the one we use for these overlooked applications. We know the people of Cheshire love supporting an underdog! Despite Cheshire’s glamorous reputation, we’re sure this is a place where kindness is more important than sparkle. We’re excited to open our work to everyone in the community, no longer just those with thousands or millions to give. We can’t wait to direct even more funding to even more lifechanging projects for local people.”
There are hundreds of examples of just such projects. An education charity is pairing specialist volunteers with 4-year-olds living in poverty, guiding their adult in how to play together, providing books and educational toys. The headteacher at their school in Lache said she wished every child could benefit from such support.
A sewing class teaching garment repairs and upcycling turned out to be a lifeline for one isolated member. She had moved to Macclesfield many years ago but had never really built any friendships; the class changed that and led to her getting involved in other local events and courses. Now she has a network of friends and a toolkit of skills.
A teenager with Down syndrome was withdrawn and anxious after leaving a mainstream high school where social life was hard. A drama class funded by the Community Foundation brought her out of her shell, and she went from the periphery to centre stage, blossoming at home as well as at the class.
A retired piano teacher from rural west Cheshire was caring for her husband with dementia, becoming isolated and burnt out. Through a Foundation grant a carer’s support service was able to offer her day trips and a befriending phone call service. She was relieved to meet other carers with the same challenges, and the support inspired her to return to playing the piano, organising a fundraising recital in gratitude for the charity.
“Most small charities are staffed by volunteers, and don’t have an army of fundraisers to help them; they rely on grant funding like ours to keep doing their vital work. You might never hear of them unless you’ve been helped by them. We see ourselves as their flag bearer and fundraiser, doing that hard work so they don’t have to. One application to us might help keep the doors open for the year ahead or get a project off the ground that’s been needed for months. These are the heroes of our community, and we know local people will be moved and inspired when they hear their stories. So sign up to Love Cheshire and begin helping today.” Tom Kirk, Head of Grants.
To join Love Cheshire and give monthly to lifechanging local projects, click here: https://cheshirecommunityfoundation.org.uk/give/love-cheshire/