Household Support Fund: feedback
Over 100 community groups and organisations in Kirklees have benefitted from a small grant to provide much needed practical support to people and families struggling to meet household costs over the winter.
Third Sector Leaders were delighted to receive an allocation of £200,000 in November from Local Welfare Provision at Kirklees Council. The funding was part of the Household Support Fund, a central government grant.
The funding allowed TSL to give out 111 small grants of £2,000 or less to 105 different organisations.
Groups could use the funding to provide support with food, energy and water, costs, hygiene products, warm clothing, blankets, service/repair/purchase of equipment and other essential costs.
Netherton Community Centre worked with the school hub coordinator and local schools to identify families where parents would struggle to afford presents for children. The aim was that every child would be able to go back to school and tell others what they got for Christmas.
“Our parents were thrilled with the support for Christmas presents. It took a huge amount of pressure off them.”
“My kids had a great Christmas and they felt just like everyone else.”
“I loved hearing my kids tell their friends what lovely presents they had got for Christmas. It made me cry that people thought of us.”
“Thank you so much for everything you did for our children at Christmas. I can’t tell you how appreciative we are.“
“Thank you very much for all of the work you did for this – everything was very much appreciated. “
“Thanks for everything – it was great what you did in such a short time period! “
“Children were soooo happy with their presents. Thank you.“
“A mum has two boys, and they are interested in arts/crafts, board games. She is a diamond and works 2 or 3 jobs, but as a single parent she has no extra money for Christmas and would like to give you guys a big virtual hug for helping her out.“
A local martial arts club helped 40 struggling families with food vouchers during December and January.
“I am a single mum of 2 on benefits. And like most single parents, month to month is a real struggle. I was so happy and relieved that [they] were doing this project as I didn’t have enough money for my food that week.“
“I just want to say a massive thank you… It really made a difference for me and my friend’s family too“
Newsome Community Forum worked with schools in the Castle Hub area to identify struggling families. 67 children benefited from Christmas presents and 16 families received Asda food gift vouchers.
“Our children and parents were extremely grateful for the presents donated by you and your team. One particular family who are a single parent family, had recently had their benefits cut and were struggling with mental/physical health and budgets. They had 4 children to provide for and were struggling to pay for their children to attend school each day. Presents were donated to the parent so she could provide them from herself to which she was enormously grateful. “
Thank you again for all the support you have provided us. ”
“We would like to thank the Forum for accessing the funding and buying gifts for a significant number of children in our community. All staff were asked to nominate children in their class who they thought would benefit from a donation and we asked for a high number of gifts, all of which were donated. We wrapped the presents before handing them to parents discretely and the response from the recipients was amazing. All were grateful and many commented on how this will make a difference to their Christmas as times have been so very difficult this year. We did not take pictures etc as the families are very proud and we wanted to be discrete, but the feedback was extremely positive.
Thank you once again and we would very much like to continue receiving things for our families if at all possible.”
“Our presents were given to individual families anonymously under the guise of their children being ‘secretly nominated’. Some of our parents still feel there is a stigma surrounding charity and this is one way we have found that’s worked well. We also drew upon Hope food bank who kindly donated Christmas food and gifts to some families who we knew would need that too. “
a local charity used the grant to refurbish donated bikes which were then given to vulnerable families with children up to the age of 8.
“that’s brilliant , there is nothing like getting a bike for Christmas”
“thank you, I can’t wait until Christmas morning now”
“thank you ,such a lovely thing to do”
a support group for an Estate in Dewsbury, provided heaters, blankets, warm clothing and food to people struggling financially.
” I would like to thank [them] for providing my family with a heater and a blanket. It was a big help in this cold weather, especially as I don’t have a gas fire in my house.”
“I have been struggling to afford food and heating essentials, thanks to [them] for providing me with a heater, blanket and food parcels.”
A dewsbury Community centre provided food vouchers to large families and single parent on low incomes and families escaping domestic abuse at a time when the burden of poverty is heightened because of Christmas. The vouchers could be used to purchase food and Christmas presents for children.
Single mum currently volunteering and attending courses to get back into employment: “Thank you so much this will make a real difference to the Christmas I can give my daughters. I was struggling but now we can have a beautiful Christmas dinner.“
Single mum fleeing domestic abuse: “I was considering getting a loan to get me through Christmas but now I can afford to get presents for the children and we have enough food to get us through Christmas and the New Year. I can’t thank you enough.
a community group supporting the Zimbabwean community in Huddersfield provided food parcels, warm clothing and blankets to families and individuals, particularly single parent families, older people and people who lost their jobs during the pandemic.
“People were very happy, we gave them African food and some warm throws; some people cried and said it was the best present to get African food. They will not ask for help because they don’t want people to see they struggle”