Crafty! National Lottery grant helps charity create pandemic goodie bags
A CHARITY that has been creating craft packs for youngsters to entertain them during the lockdown has been given a grant from the National Lottery.
Hurst-based The Cowshed has sent out more than 500 of the kits in recent weeks as part of its support efforts to the community.
In normal circumstances, it helps provide high-quality clothing and other basic essentials across Wokingham borough, but like many charities, it says it has seen a sharp increase in demand in recent weeks.
Donated clothes are sorted, washed and ironed to be delivered or collected by social services, other health professionals or the people the project supports.
Other items it collects include footwear, bedding, toiletries and nappies.
The Cowshed has been working alongside more than 130 other organisations and charities across the county – including Berkshire Women’s Aid, Brighter Future and HomeStart.
In the past four weeks, the project has helped more than 100 people.
But it is the craft packs that has attracted a £3,000 grant from The National Lottery Community Fund, which is the largest funder of community activity in the UK.
The packs include games, books, craft materials and colouring pens, supplied in bags made from recycled material by a group of volunteer “craftladies”, who are working incredibly hard from home to make sure there are enough to meet the increased demand.
Sally Russell, CEO of The Cowshed, said: “We are so grateful to The National Lottery Community Fund, without their grant we would not have been able to continue supplying our craft packswhich go to themost vulnerable families in Berkshire – many of whom have no outdoor spaces and would struggle to afford to provide items such as these to their children during this crisis.”
The Cowshed is one of two community groups in Wokingham, and one of seven in Berkshire, to receive a share of over £40,000 for the county last month from The National Lottery Community Fund.
Helen Bushell, head of funding for the South and East of England at The National Lottery Community Fund, said: “It has been heartening to see how communities in the South East have been responding to the crisis. The Cowshed in Wokingham is just one of the many projects, from grassroots groups to larger charities, working tirelessly to support their community through these extremely difficult times.
“National Lottery players can be proud that themoney they’ve raised is making a real difference at a time when it is most needed.
“Wewill carry on getting vital funding out to charities and voluntary sector organisations, so they can step up to overcome obstacles caused by the pandemic and help their community to rebuild and recover in the future.”
And Ms Bushell said that the fund will continue to prioritise getting funding to groups best placed to support their communities at this vital time and also towards those seeking to rebuild as the crisis abates. Last year it awarded, on average, £1.4 million a day.
For more details, visit www.TNLCommunityFund.org.uk