Impact
Groundwork has worked alongside Comic Relief since 2019 as an intermediary funder for community projects across England to support grassroots community organisations.
To date, the Comic Relief Community Grants programme has awarded 1321 grants totalling £5.9 million. 150,000 beneficiaries have been supported and 3,000 volunteering opportunities have been created.
Twinkleboost Community Interest Company
Twinkleboost were awarded £9,966 to deliver over one hundred speech and language classes, providing children in South Manchester with the best start in life.
The organisation operates in areas of deprivation to offer Early Speech, Language and Communication coaching and training to new parents. Led by Speech and Language Therapy Assistants, the sessions are fun, multi-sensory and – most importantly – free. Since the Covid pandemic, the demand for Twinkleboost’s work has grown significantly, with their waiting list growing to 728 families from the immediate area of Wythenshawe. Their project spanning 18 blocks of communications sessions aimed to reach more people and support families in need.
117 sessions were conducted with the project funding, supporting nearly 500 parents and children to become less isolated. The sessions focused on stories such as ‘The Gingerbread Man’ and ‘Hansel & Gretel’ and were accompanied by sensory activities, songs and sign language delivered by speech therapist, Matthew. A range of support has been provided to families, from help with onboarding and outreach to training and support over the phone or in person.
Not only has this project boosted the language skills of children primarily living in an area of deprivation, but families and new parents have been extremely well supported by the organisation with 75% reporting feeling less isolated as a result of attending Twinkleboost sessions.
2 Way Tenancy Solutions Community Interest Company
2 Way Tenancy Solutions were awarded £10,000 to prevent homelessness in Gateshead communities and improve the financial capability of service users.
The organisation is a housing service engaging with people with multiple and complex needs that are threatened with homelessness. They work to identify the root cause of the individual’s disengagement from other services and increase their financial capability to prevent homelessness and maintain sustainable communities. What makes this organisation so special and unique is that staff from 2 Way Tenancy Solutions, who are largely refugees or from Black and Minority Ethnic communities, share lived experience with most service users.
Funding enabled the delivery of more than 300 hours of individual face-to-face support with clients who were living in dire conditions and risking their lives. This included flexible funding capability sessions, income maximisation and assistance with living conditions. As a result, over £120,000 of financial gains were achieved. A total of 30 beneficiaries, varying in age, gender and ethnicity, were supported to improve standards of living and to re-engage with society.
One beneficiary, Mike, is a shining example of how funding has made a real difference. When he was referred to the service, the organisation found Mike in a state of poor health at 75 years old. He had been without heating or hot water for almost twelve years and what furnishings he did have were not owned outright but through a costly scheme. 2 Ways Tenancy Solutions maximised Mike’s income through the take up of benefits; organised a deep clean of his property; and helped install a new boiler and heating system. Mike was then supported to buy a cooker, a kettle, a washing machine and a microwave. He became financially stable with an annual gain of over £9000 a year and gained aids for mobilising around the house. Once his housing conditions and his quality of life had improved, Mike started re-engaging with other services and the community.
Beyond the Page Ltd
Beyond the Page were awarded £10,000 to improve the confidence and wellbeing of migrant women in East Kent.
The organisation was founded to enable migrant women to develop English speaking confidence and improve community participation, with the purpose of building a strong, positive, multicultural community in Thanet. Funding will embolden this community model through providing migrant women with opportunities to connect with one another and become active citizens.
The project was designed with key input from the women involved, who formulated wellbeing activities including yoga, arts and crafts, social events and talks from a local wellbeing charity to build self-esteem and manage anxiety. A creche was provided, giving some mothers with younger children the chance to attend. In total, 23 women from nine countries engaged in these sessions, boosting their confidence and community integration.
As well as weekly wellbeing support, this project importantly covered workshops on domestic abuse, detailing the signs and ways of reporting in the United Kingdom. The delivery of domestic abuse training aided the staff and volunteers who run the sessions to support women where cultural norms differ. Through much-needed wellbeing support, this project has fostered a positive model of multicultural community.