£300,000 AWARDED TO LOCAL BARNET ORGANISATIONS TO HELP WITH THECOST-OF-LIVING CRISIS

Barnet Together has awarded £300,000 to the Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise Sector (VCFSE) : through the Barnet Community Fund Main Grant 2022.

The £300,000 came from Barnet Council’s £150,000 match-fund to Barnet Together’s £150,000 Community Response Fund.

An independent grants panel met in December 2022 to consider how the funding would be allocated. The fund was shared between 40 Barnet VCFSE organisations: each supporting the community in a variety of ways. Projects include; social inclusion, emotional well-being, warm spaces initiatives and, particularly, cost-of-living crisis recovery.

Janet Matthewson, Young Barnet Foundation CEO, part of the Barnet Together partnership says:

“Barnet Community Fund is another great example of partnership working under the Barnet Together Alliance, the fund enabled us to offer grants to community groups so that they can provide vital support to our residents during these challenging times.”

Barnet Together is a partnership established in 2018 between Young Barnet Foundation, Volunteering Barnet and Inclusion Barnet. It supports local VCFSEs with funding, training, resources and advice, and offers a platform for stronger sector representation, voice and connection.

Barnet Together works collaboratively with Barnet local government, in all its forms to ensure that all those who work or live in Barnet receive services and support.

Successful applicants included The Stonegrove Community Trust which received £8,555 to help towards foodbanks, warm spaces, co-working, and social space for the local community; Resources for Autism which received £10,000 to help deliver specialist autistic adult support; and African Refugee Community which received £10,000 to provide support sessions for refugees.

Gus Alston, CEO of Stonegrove Community Trust says:

“This funding will allow us to stay open for longer hours and provide a better environment for local residents of all ages, to work and play. It helps them to keep down their home heating costs, whilst also creating new friendships and boosting community cohesion.”