Tough times, but charities strive on

AS one of the UK’s largest charitable funders we know the last few years have been tough for small charities in Wales – they’ve faced cutbacks and a tough funding environment while experiencing rising demand for their services.

Yet we are seeing charities innovating and helping their communities thrive, despite uncertainties about everything from borders to benefits.

When we launched the Weston Anniversary Fund to celebrate our 60th anniversary we put aside £5m for this one-off scheme so that we could support as many charities as possible. Yet today our trustees have more than doubled that fund to more than £11m after overwhelming demand.

The response from charities in Wales to this new fund clearly demonstrates the voluntary sector is proactive and energetic – far from the complacency it is sometimes accused of.

The hard work of these charities and their volunteers often goes unnoticed, but their ideas and determination are inspirational. They are often providing key services such as meals on wheels, services for isolated older people and tackling youth and gang crime.

What really impressed our trustees is the amount of volunteering and community involvement that’s going on in Wales. Yet we can also see the level of need that exists in our local communities and how much the services charities provide are so desperately needed. The impact of these grants will be significant, with benefits for many people lasting years.

We hope many more people will continue to support their local charities to carry on the amazing work they do every day. Philippa Charles Director, Garfield Weston Foundation