More than £200K handed out to 1066 country charities

Awards of up to £10,000 each from NHS Hastings and Rother Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) have been made to 26 voluntary and community sector organisations that support people who experience the most significant health inequalities.

The grants scheme is part of the CCG’s Healthy Hastings and Rother programme to tackle health inequality in the area.

St Leonards GP and CCG governing body member Susan Rae said the funds will have a positive impact on the community.

“The scheme was aimed at encouraging and supporting the many community groups and organisations working hard to improve health and wellbeing in the area,” she said.

“We received lots of strong applications and are delighted to be able to support a wide range of excellent initiatives that will have a really positive impact.”

Among the major beneficiaries include the Sara Lee Trust, St Michael’s Hospice, Chapter 1, Hastings Furniture Service and the Fellowship of St Nicholas all received the maximum £10,000.

Educations Futures Trust were given £9,972 to support a mental health scheme for young people and £4,790 was donated to help make Hastings a dementia-friendly town.

The Sussex Cricket Board was given £9,000 to help set up a new street hub in Sidley where there is currently no provision for community cricket.

Little Gate Farm in Beckley was donated £9,600 to develop a Healthy Choices project which helps learning-disabled young adults to learn about how they can improve their physical and mental health through making the right choices about food and exercise.

The CCG decided to give £9,300 to Conservation Volunteers to support its Green Gym project – an outdoor exercise intervention in places with the greatest disparity in health inequality across 1066 country.

Culture Shift CIC helps adults with learning difficulties in Hastings and Rother and £9,659 was awarded to support its work.

Pelham CIO was donated £8,490 to go towards kitchen equipment and at The Pelham – an old hotel being converted into a community hub.

Age UK’s Healthy Living Club for people aged 50 and over in Sidley will be able to expand with a £5,942 grant.

At a slightly smaller level, the Bexhill and District Gardens Allotment Society was given £1,000 to help the get-togethers the society runs for older people to tackle social isolation.

The Ore Centres Senior Project meets every Thursday and provides support services and facilities to older people who live in the rural villages in Ore and the surrounding areas of Guestling, Icklesham Three Oaks, Pett and north Hastings.

Funding will help with general running costs for the centre and its activities supporting older people.

A full list of the grants awarded is at www.sussexgiving.org.uk/recentgrants.

A second round of grants will be awarded later this year.

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