£3 million and counting; Covid and the Community Foundation one year on

articleindex followcenterhttps://www.communityfoundation.org.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/CommF_GJhr-6473.jpgcentermodule_group modules Array 1 https://www.communityfoundation.org.uk/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/11/CommF_GJhr-6473.jpg Thank you from all of us at the Community Foundation (photo taken pre-Covid)

A year ago today, the Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland launched its Coronavirus Response and Recovery Fund to support local charities and community organisations help the most vulnerable people during the COVID-19 outbreak. A year later, the Foundation has distributed nearly £2 million to over 200 charitable organisations who stepped up to support their communities. It is now preparing to distribute a further £1 million to help even more organisations recover and renew their work for the future.

The £3 million funding milestone has been reached thanks to the generous support of Newcastle Building Society, Sir James Knott Trust and the Virgin Money Foundation, who each donated £100,000, alongside many other businesses, families and members of the public, and supporters of the National Emergencies Trust Coronavirus Appeal.

Looking back on the year, Rob Williamson, Chief Executive of the Community Foundation, said:

“It’s been a difficult year for everyone but, a year on from launching our appeal, we have been overwhelmed by the generosity of partners, donors and the public. When we launched the appeal, we hoped to raise £500,000, so to be on the brink of distributing £3 million is amazing. We want to say another thank you to them all.”

“Over the last year, we have been able to apply the expertise we have built up over 30 years to reach the organisations helping vulnerable people on the ground. Now, like so many of us, they are looking to a life beyond Covid. So, our focus is now on supporting charitable groups recover from the impact of the outbreak on their own work and income. As communities emerge from lockdown, we’re open for applications for funding, but also for further donations as there is still much to do.”

You can read more or donate to our Coronavirus Response and Recovery Fund here. If you need funding for covid or non-covid related activities you can make a general application anytime here