Published today (26th June 2020) is the Coronavirus Community Fund Report from Two Ridings Community Foundation.

In this report the Foundation describes what the fund has achieved in the 100 days since its launch, and in particular the 235 grants made to help keep people safe, fed, well and connected across North & East Yorkshire. In the 100 days since the fund launch Two Ridings has made the same number of awards it would normally make in a year. The report is available here Two Ridings Coronavirus Fund Update June 2020

This fund and appeal, launched on 18th March 2020 has raised £2.1m in funds and given away £903,209 to 198 local charity organisations in North and East Yorkshire to support vulnerable residents as part of efforts during the COVID-19 outbreak. The report makes clear that this is only the start, with much more to be done to help the hundreds of local groups with essential funds to keep them going. It is asking for anyone wishing to donate to get in touch via Coronavirus Community Fund

Derek Nichol (left) is seen here celebrating VE day thanks to Trinity Centre in Whitby. Trinity Centre received two grants totalling £12,000 from the fund to keep their service delivering meals and activities going for the next six months.

Carolyn Watkinson, Trustee of Trinity Centre in Whitby said: “This grant will be an enormous aid towards helping us to continue supporting older and vulnerable people in Whitby. Our clients experience the debilitating effects of social isolation under normal circumstances. This grant has been invaluable in enabling us to stay in regular contact with them to provide hot meals several times per week to those who need it most. Without grants such as this, the Trinity Centre would have closed and the social connectedness so important to our clients would be have been lost to them. Instead, we have been able to adapt our way of working to support not only our regular clients but also some of the most vulnerable people from our partner charitable organisations. As one service-user said: “‘It’s such a treat. I didn’t expect anything. I thought I would be on my own at home with nothing to do and I’m busy all day with the activities.”

Two Ridings is also the local distributor to local charities of funds raised nationally by the National Emergencies Trust (NET) and coincidentally they have published their report this week.