Action Fund grants making a real difference in the communities

Published: 5 May 2020

Grants to help community groups and charities support people through the Coronavirus outbreak are making a real difference, it has been revealed.

Exeter Community Energy (ECOE) recently received £1,000 from the Exeter Covid-19 Community Action Fund.

The group helps vulnerable people deal with fuel poverty and energy or billing issues through its Healthy Homes scheme and is using the money to provide telephone and email support to reach those residents at risk while it is unable to carry out home visits.

Gill Wyatt, Project Manager, said their clients were welcoming the social interaction provided by them keeping in contact.

One couple were referred to ECOE by the RD&E Hospital and are in a shielded group. Initially when a home energy advisor contacted them they said they had all the support they needed but it later turned out that their government food box deliveries and supermarket slot had stopped for no apparent reason.

The group were able to resolve the issue and reinstate the food box deliveries and supermarket priority. Another woman was referred to the group by Age UK Exeter after her boiler broke down. As she receives benefits she was eligible to be referred to the Emergency Central Heating Scheme, which provided her with a replacement boiler, free of charge.

For others it’s as simple as making social contact. One woman who suffers from chronic illness and was bereaved a year ago was coping well up until when all her usual activities and support was stopped as a result of ‘lockdown’. At that point she started to feel the bereavement once again but a weekly call from a Healthy Homes advisor has enabled her to cope a lot better.Gill said: ‘”When I manage to help someone who is feeling vulnerable you can feel them relax and feel a little safer. It’s such a good feeling and it makes my job really worthwhile. Many residents are not so bothered about their energy bills at the moment so we’re helping people in a whole new way.”

So far, more than £90,000 has been awarded to some 56 groups across Exeter.

Cllr Amal Ghusain, Lead Councillor of Equalities, Diversity and Communities, said: “It’s lovely to hear that the Action Fund really is making a difference with people that need support during these difficult times.”

The Action Fund was launched at the end of March in tandem with support service Exeter Community Wellbeing. It enables organisations to get rapid access to small grants to allow them to work on local projects to support those people and communities most affected by the pandemic.

Other groups that have been awarded money are:

• Pinhoe Community Centre- America Hall & Sunnylands Room - £3,000 towards the loss of income. The hall is also being used by Food Exeter to parcel up food delivered by local farmers and suppliers to send to vulnerable and isolated people.
• Interwoven Productions CIC - £1,000 towards supporting communities in Heavitree, Burnthouse Lane, the West Quarter and St Thomas by developing a Place-based Learning resource for families to use whilst in ‘lockdown’. This is part of Interwoven’s larger Squilometre place-based project.
• Sanctuary Supported Living - £1,000 towards the cooking and delivery of hot cooked meals to vulnerable clients shielding and isolating in a 19 bedroom temporary accommodation in Exeter.