West Kent Mind was one of eight charities in Kent to receive a £1,000 grant in funding from the Benefact Group’s Movement for Good (MFG) campaign earlier this month.
The funds are ‘unrestricted funding’, meaning charities can use the money for whatever they need, without having to make a specific proposal, explained a spokesman for the specialist financial services group, which is owned by the Benefact Trust. This could be used to put on a residential for children, or for staffing costs – even paying the electricity bill,” added the spokesman.
“This is what charities have told us they needed,” the spokesman added. Thanking Kent supporters, Mark Hews, group chief executive of Benefact Group, said:
“We know that £1,000 can make a huge difference to the incredible work that charities do and we’re looking forward to seeing how this financial boost will change lives for the better.”
He added: “Benefact Group is the fourth largest corporate donor in the UK and has an ambition to be the biggest. Owned by a charity, all of its available profits go to good causes, and the more the group grows, the more the group can give.”
West Kent Mind’s grant was one of 250 drawn at random from those nominated. Charities can be re-nominated for future funding rounds, which will include 250 £1,000 grants given out in September, 120 £1,000 grants in December, and also £500,000 in larger grants later this year.
Nominations for the £1,000 awards in September are now open at MovementForGood. com
The charity’s annual Hidden Holiday Hunger Campaign targets the boroughs of Tunbridge Wells and Tonbridge & Malling, where, according to figures by campaign group End Child Poverty 21 per cent of children are classed as living in poverty. This figure classifies a child living in poverty if the income of the household in which they live is 60 per cent below the median income, after housing costs.
Dawn Stanford, operations director at Nourish, said: “Food poverty is often a hidden issue and, with rising fuel bills, grocery costs and inflation, the issue has escalated.
“Future predictions are forecasting a rise to 16 million people in the UK being officially classed as living in poverty by 2023, a rise of 15 per cent on pre-pandemic numbers.”
A spokeswoman for the charity added that the Hidden campaign was in addition to the foodbank’s standard food parcels, which are a three-day supply, instead of covering the six-week holiday from school. The campaign will also feature a powerful empty cereal box advert.
This is specifically to support families with children during the long summer holidays, especially working families who have to pay for childcare and may normally be in receipt of Free School Meals so have to find money to pay for additional meals, said the spokeswoman.
“This campaign aims to provide some of those extra items to make up packed lunches and picnics to enable them to have some extra nutrition and have days out with food that all the other children have, for example picnics in parks, etc.”
People can be referred by social services, Council teams, GPs, schools, abuse charities, Citizens Advice Bureau and other agencies.
Dawn added: “For a donation of just £15, you can help to provide a family with holiday items to supplement their basic food needs and ensure children can enjoy some of the fresh lunch bag items that other children are fortunate to have every day.”
You can donate £15 by texting HUNGER to 70560, or at NourishCommunityFoodbank.org.uk/Give-Money
