WORK to tackle poverty and inequality across Reading will pick up thanks to a new round of grants provided to voluntary groups and charities.
Reading Borough Council has launched a Closing The Gap initiative, which will see £1 million invested in organisations that work with those suffering from the effects of poverty.
Groups bid for funding based on three parameters: building independence, well-being and connecting people; supporting people to get out and stay out of poverty; and investing in volunteer and community group infrastructure.
So far, total of £794,416 has been allocated.
On the objective of Building resilience, independence and well-being, connecting people to support and focusing on individual and community strengths, £517,416 will be awarded to eight organisations: Reading Voluntary Action, Age UK Partnership, Berkshire Vision Partnership, Thames Valley Positive Support, Together for Mental Health, ACRE, Refugee Support Group, and Parents and Children’s Trust (PACT).
East Reading-based advice centre Communicare has been awarded £174,000 to help people with queries and support with form filling, while £158,000 will be given to Reading Voluntary Action to invest in voluntary sector infrastructure.
The successful charities will be offered three-year contracts.
Cllr Liz Terry (Labour, Coley), Reading Borough Council’s lead for corporate services and resources, said: “While the council’s programme of support for the voluntary and community sector is well-established and generous in comparison to most local authorities, following direct feedback from the voluntary sector we designed a new commissioning process this year.
“This gave groups a platform to showcase their experience and expertise and the flexibility to tailor bids either as individual organisations or as partnerships, against a set criteria aimed at helping people in some of Reading’s most disadvantaged communities.
“As always, they have risen to the challenge.”
She praised groups for the quality of their bids, saying there showed innovation and new partnerships.
“There is clearly so much knowledge, experience and expertise among our voluntary organisations, and we would love to fund them all if that was possible,” she said.
“We thank every single organisation which took part in the bidding process and look forward to working with those who were successful, which ultimately means making a difference to people’s lives in these challenging times.”
There is currently £205,584 of unallocated funding, and a second round of applications will be tendered later this month. The focus will be on:
- Provision of general debt, budgeting and money management advice
- A specialist support service for those with learning disabilities, autism and complex needs
- A Home from Hospital service that includes transport, re-orientation advice and befriending
- Support and advice for those with hearing impairment.
