Providing vital support in rural communities
The Peter Sowerby Fund for North & East Yorkshire has been established by the Peter Sowerby Foundation.
Peter Sowerby was a GP who spent much of his working life at Egton Surgery in North Yorkshire. He created the software behind EMIS, now the largest supplier of clinical software to GPs across the UK, and from its success provided a generous endowment to the Foundation to fulfil his philanthropic vision and charitable priorities.
The Peter Sowerby Fund for North & East Yorkshire has been established to enable small local organisations to provide vital support in rural communities, carrying on Dr Sowerby’s long term vision in his home region.
Over the last three years the fund has provided 58 grants awarding a total of £226,346 to all corners of the region to meet issues close to the Foundation’s core value of supporting people in rural communities.
Funding was awarded:
- Supporting community spaces, like village halls and sports facilities, so they can provide meaningful activities & enrich community life
- Ensuring local grassroot groups have essential funds so they are able to operate & be sustainable
- Enabling people to access services and activities through good quality transport and digital means
- Reaching the most marginalised people in rural society
Jan Garrill, Chief Executive of Two Ridings stated
“The Peter Sowerby Foundation recognise that through working with Two Ridings they can support local charitable organisations in rural North & East Yorkshire in recognition of their founders origins and love for Yorkshire. We are grateful for their support and differenced their fund can make for local rural charities.”
Learn more about the Peter Sowerby Foundation
Supporting community spaces
Allerthorpe Village Hall – Funding to contribute towards renovation costs of Hall. £2,000
Appleton Wiske Village Hall – Replacing all the village hall lighting with LED versions. £1,000
Coxwold Parish Council Funding to purchase a small generator set which will provide the village hall with emergency power. £750
Easington Recreation and Sports Association Funding to cover core overheads for a sports field that has lost fundraising income but has upkeep costs still to pay. £1,200
Helmsley Bowling Club Funding to contribute towards cost of new bowling green mower. £2,000
Ensuring village halls and supporting facilities can enrich community life
East Yorkshire Community Transport Funding to host 2 events for elderly people to celebrate the Queens Jubilee. £1,960
Romanby Scout Group Funding to purchase 10 tents to be used by the scout group. £1,999
Snaith Cowick and Rawcliffe Volunteer Support Group Funding to lease premises for 12 month to run a food bank and support service. £9,981
Wold Newton Community Centre Funding to contribute towards overhead costs of the community centre. £855
Withernsea Methodist Church Funding to support a monthly lunch and activity club. £500
Ensuring essential funds support grassroots organisations
Cleveland Mountain Rescue Replace Team Members PPE Clothing. £1,000
Dancing for Well Being Funding for equipment for dance activities for older people to improve mental health and wellbeing. £730
Love Driffield Funding towards capital expenditure to continue providing food bank. £2,000
East Riding Association of Rural Community Buildings Funding to continue to employ a village halls advisor to support and provide information throughout the crisis. £1,000
MASH Funding for advertising and running costs of activities for younger armed forces veterans and their families. £1,813
Middleham Town Twinning Association Funding to continue their ‘Reach Out’ project which brings the community together. £770
Settle Community and Business Hub Funding to cover loss of income until the lockdown is lifted. £9,540
Ripon YMCA Funding to purchase 2 laptops and migrate their office system to Microsfot 365 to allow them to work more efficiently remotely during this crisis. £2,000
Enabling groups to operate and be sustainable
Revival North Yorkshire Funding will be used to increase the Managing Directors time so they can focus on organisational development to secure longer term financial security £5,000
Skipton Step into Action Funding to pay for a volunteer co-ordinator and a Project co-ordinator. £5,000
Supporting Older People Funding will be use to increase the administrators hours, to purchase 3 new computers and bring in a consultant for 5 days. £5,000
Supporting Older People Contribution towards the Director’s salary to enable her to focus on strategic, partnership and organisational development work to enhance the charities resilience and sustainability. £2,000
Thunk-It Theatre Ltd Funding to cover core organisational costs for 6 months. £2,000
Veterans Woodcraft Funding for core overheads to support isolated veterans through woodwork. £5,000
Weighton Young Players Funding towards the annual running costs of the Weighton Young players drama group. £2,000
Whitby, Scarborough & Ryedale Disability Action Group Covering salary and office costs to continue a range of services disabled beneficiaries rely on. £2,000
Essential funds to keep groups running their crucial services
Community Counselling (North Yorkshire) Ltd Funding to cover both the cost of maintaining the service for a year and the recruiting volunteers for free counselling service. £1,000
Dementia Forward Funding to purchase laptops and printers so staff can work from home. £3,507
Endeavour Fun Club Supporting running costs. £2,000
Everwitch Theatre Covering staff and operational costs of non-profit theatre supporting older people. £8,420
Home-Start Craven Employing a part-time coordinator to deliver sessions, overseeing caseload and distributing food parcels. £9,000
Next Steps – Mental Health Resource Centre Hiring a wellbeing coordinator to support volunteers and get beneficiaries the right support. £10,000
North Yorkshire Music Therapy Centre Covering core costs to deliver face to face sessions. £10,000
Pioneer Projects To retain staff team keeping older isolated beneficiaries connected and supported £9,000
Enabling access to services and activities
Eggborough Methodist Church Funding to run a monthly afternoon tea for isolated and lonely people in and around Eggborough. £2,000
Hornsea Chill and Chat Cafe Funding for volunteer training and premises hire. £1,400
Shiptonthorpe Village Hall Funding for facilities that will benefit our participants in Drama, Dance, Music and enhance the audience experience. £1,600
Sight Support Ryedale Funding for overheads for a telephone befriending service and shopping/prescription delivery service. £10,000
Northallerton Business Network Funding for training sessions in digital skills for older people, in a rurally isolated area. £2,000
Whitby & District Community Transport Funding to support the organisation with a prescription and food delivery service for vulnerable and isolated people. £5,000
Whitby Hidden Impairments Support & Help Funding to help with core costs to continue to develop their programme of activities for parents and children. £5,000
Reaching the most marginalised people
Centre for Health & Pastoral Care Funding for expenses, communications and staff to help support people who are experiencing mental health difficulties. £2,000
Clean Slate Solutions Funding for a volunteer co-ordinator who will support mentors providing direct support to young ex-offenders. £5,000
Community Counselling Funding for training, support and ICT to offer remote counselling to people facing barriers to NHS psychological support. £10,000
Second Chance Ostomy Yorkshire Funding to provide much-needed to help Ostomy users through their processes before, during and after surgery. £2,000
New Beginnings Peer Support Funding will be used to rent new premises that will have a multi-use space. This will allow the organisation to run face-to-face appointments, meet in person and be acentral hub for the organisation. £5,000
Ryedale Community Foodbank – Funding will be used for rent and to help them secure a more appropriate location £5,000
Ryedale Community Foodbank The funding will give us the opportunity to set up 3 bases where food can be collected, stored, packed and distributed to people who are in need. £5,000
Ensuring nobody gets left behind
Colburn Youth Project Staff, overheads and capital costs to run a youth project over summer holidays to engage children and improve mental health and wellbeing. £5,000
Community Works CIO Funding to support clients to adjust back into society once lockdown relaxes. £10,000
Hambleton Community Action Funding to encourage volunteering and remove barriers around volunteering. £10,000
Kingstrust Network CIO Staff and core costs to respond to Withernsea families and older residents in crisis. £6,600
Wellspring Thearapy & Training Funding to cover the cost of more hours of counselling for vulnerable people with increased mental health issues. £7,473
Spirit of Christmas Funding to purchase items for boxes provided to young vulnerable people. £500
Strive Yorkshire Funding to cover rent and insurance costs to keep providing counselling services for free to those people who need help most. £1,958
The Sandcastle Trust The grant funding will pay for a contribution towards a bespoke package of respite for six families affected by a rare genetic condition. £1,950