A KENT-BASED foundation secured funds worth over £4million during the last financial year, helping organisations, families and individuals in Tunbridge Wells.
Kent Community Foundation (KCF) helps channel funds from donors and funds including Comic Relief, the Big Lottery and Kent County Council, to grassroots charities and other good causes.
Last year it helped 538 charities and organisations across the county, as well as 500 families and individuals living in Kent, the foundation said in a report on its financial year, released last week (January 2).
Donations to organisations supporting the elderly included £5,000 for Age UK Tunbridge Wells, £4,500 for Edenbridge Voluntary Transport Service and £3,000 for Groombridge Men’s Shed.
The Compaid Trust, which offers transport and digital skills training to both vulnerable adults and the elderly and isolated, received nearly £22,000 worth of funding through separate grants.
Tunbridge Wells-based Domestic Abuse Volunteer Support Services (DAVSS), which helps people over 16 years old in West Kent, benefited from £15,000.
Fegans, also based in the town, which provides counselling and parenting support for children and families, itself received support of £21,500.
Tunbridge Wells Welcomes Refugees, which applied under the ‘children and families’ and three other funds, received nearly £14,900.
Mental health and counselling services also received a boost, with West Kent Mind gaining over £26,000 from various funds.
Meanwhile, the Tunbridge Wells Counselling Centre received over £16,000 under the children, young people and families, and the vulnerable adult themes.
KCF Chief Executive Josephine McCartney said: “Thank you to everyone who continues to choose to give through Kent Community Foundation because, without you, a lot of these much-needed organisations just wouldn’t survive.”
Applications for funding this year can be made through the Kent Community Foundation at: kentcf.org.uk/funding
