Cost-of-living sees record numbers accept charity’s help

A charity, which has used Community Chest funds to help some of the most vulnerable affected by the cost-of-living crisis, has seen record numbers through its doors

West Suffolk Council has opened its Community Chest grant fund for applications for 2024/25.

More than £460,000 is available to support the work of charities, community groups and voluntary organisations in improving the health and wellbeing of residents, continuing with extra emphasis on helping people with the cost-of-living.

Donna Higgins, cabinet member for Families and Communities, met with John Gilbert, from the Racing Centre, in Newmarket, to hear how the centre has been helping residents, and how through work with other charities, it expects to help even more people in the year ahead.

“The cost-of-living has impacted on most people but the most vulnerable have been disproportionately hit,” said John. “Using the funding we have received including Community Chest, we’ve been able to work to help the wider community of Newmarket.

“Part of that has seen us develop a health and wellbeing programme to cater for people of different ethnic backgrounds in the area with fitness classes, wellbeing checks, helping people find out about and access other support services in the area and to integrate into the local community. And that is having a real impact.”

While the Racing Centre offers a welcoming café for people to meet for coffee and gym facilities, some of which is used by people who have worked in the racing industry, to help with rehabilitation following an injury, it has also been helping people hit by food poverty.

As well as providing free hot meals to those in need, it also offers a community pantry where people can pick up donated canned goods and other long-life food to take home.

“When people use these services, we also talk to them to see what has happened and if there’s any other help that we can give them to get them out of their situation,” said John.

While the small team tailors help to each individual, the number of people coming through its door has reached a record high with 49,000 in the past year – just under 1,000 a week.

Now, partnership work with two other organisations who have received Community Chest funds and a third who received UK Shared Prosperity Funding from the council, offers the potential to help even more people in the year ahead.

The Voluntary Network which received Community Chest funds for its community transport to help people who cannot use public transport, and its Befriending services to combat loneliness, is now based out of the Racing Centre.

Managing director Caroline Robinson, said: “Our services are a lifeline to those in need. Community Chest funding has enabled us to support those that would otherwise be quite isolated.”

REACH Community Projects, based in Haverhill, also offers its debt and benefits support service to Newmarket residents from the Racing Centre, again having previously received funding from Community Chest for this work.

Diana Allin, REACH’s Outreach Advisor, in Newmarket, said: “Being able to work in Newmarket has allowed me to really build relationships with other charities and organisations within the area. Working with other local charities and organisations helps me reach more people in the community. Local people in need are referred to me through those organisations and in turn I can achieve the best level of additional support for them via my network of local contacts.”

Henry Wilson, chief executive of REACH, said: “The funding we receive from West Suffolk Council has helped us to support 183 people struggling in Newmarket this year so far. At a time when the cost of living is still having a huge affect, many people are unfortunately falling into financial crisis, so we’re grateful for the opportunity to offer debt and budgeting support to even more people in and around Newmarket.”

And next month they will be joined by Newmarket Open Door’s foodbank service. It didn’t apply for Community Chest having already been supported by West Suffolk Council UK Shared Prosperity Funding earlier this year.

Matthew Tee, director at the charity, said: “This provides an opportunity for us to reach and help even more people although I would also like to reassure existing foodbank users that we already have measures in place to ensure they are still supported both during the transition as well of course when we start operating out of the Racing Centre.”

It means that together the four organisations can be providing even more help to more people coming through the doors of the Racing Centre.

To apply for Community Chest funding, view the guidance and then complete the online application at https://www.westsuffolk.gov.uk/community/community-grants.cfm  There’s a link to this at www.westsuffolk.gov.uk

The deadline for applications is 6pm, on Friday, September 29, 2023. Successful grants will be awarded in February 2024 and paid in April.