Coronavirus appeal provides grants to help Hertfordshire charities

An organisation in Hemel Hempstead will receive a helping hand from the Hertfordshire Community Foundation's Coronavirus Disaster Relief Fund.

Mediation Hertfordshire is one of many projects and charities that applied for a grant through the fund - over £25,000 has been granted to local voluntary and charitable groups across Hertfordshire.

The fund was set up to help charities and organisations respond to unprecedented challenges brought about by the coronavirus pandemic.

Mediation Hertfordshire has been awarded £2,000 to support ten referrals, from police or the NHS, for telephone counselling and conflict coaching for vulnerable families, including those experiencing domestic violence.

Victoria Harris, CEO of Mediation Hertfordshire said: “Mediation Hertfordshire is delighted to be one of the first recipients of a Grant from the Hertfordshire Community Foundation to support the extra activities that we are carrying out arising from the Covid 19 outbreak.

"Our conflict resolution service remains operational and ready to support to the Hertfordshire community with our mediation and conflict coaching service, which we are now conducting by telephone and using digital platforms.

"The HCF Grant will specifically help us to support front line police officers and PCSOs who are dealing with low level anti-social behaviour during the outbreak.

"Perhaps most critically, Mediation Hertfordshire have pledged to assist the Herts Valleys Clinical Commissioning group (HVCCG) to support the NHS with any issues of conflict that they may face during this hugely challenging time.

"Mediation Hertfordshire is a not for profit organisation and was a recipient of The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service in 2018.

"We are proud to serve the Hertfordshire community and are immensely grateful for this grant from Hertfordshire Community Foundation which will help support us to go the extra mile during this crisis."

Helen Gray, Foundation Director for Hertfordshire Community Foundation (HCF), said, “Many people are suffering, not just physically due to ill health, but also economically and socially.

"We are proud to be playing a role in making sure donations to support those in need get to where they are needed most in our community, as quickly as possible.

"This is why we setup the Coronavirus Disaster Relief Fund, to provide rapid support to local charities in this incredibly challenging time."

The first grants from HCF’s Coronavirus Disaster Relief Fund have been awarded to:

> Carers in Hertfordshire - £2,000 to contribute to their remote support service which is targeted at their most vulnerable carers who cannot now benefit from face to face support and respite services. [East Hertfordshire]

> Age Concern Bishops Stortford - £2,000 to ensure that none of the local vulnerable are overlooked during this crisis by supporting volunteers to undertake welfare checks, shopping and prescription delivery services and telephone befriending. [East Hertfordshire]

> Royston & District Community Transport - £2,000 to support the isolated and elderly in the Royston area by volunteers providing free transport for hospital visits and delivery of prescriptions and food. [North Hertfordshire]

> Herts Disability Sports Foundation - £2,000 to adapt their classes to be delivered via interactive video so they can see the participants. [North Hertfordshire]

> Phoenix Children Group for Deaf Children and Young Adults - £2,000 to provide one hour a day (5 times a week) 'time to connect' online socialisation for their adult members who would normally attend their daytime services and do not have families at home who use Sign Language. [Stevenage]

> Citizen Advice Broxbourne - £2,000 to enable two advisors to be set up with encrypted laptops and phones to provide vital advice and guidance remotely. [Broxbourne]

> Watford & District Mencap Society - £2,000 to help them to remain flexible to meet the changing needs of local people with learning disabilities who are often uncertain about what to do and what the crisis means for them. [Three Rivers]

> Alternatives Watford Pregnancy Crisis & Support Centre - £2,000 to assist this pregnancy crisis and support centre to continue to their counselling work remotely. [Watford]

> Citizens Advice Welwyn Hatfield - £1,950 to purchase home working IT equipment for 2 advisors who are providing advice and guidance to a range of vulnerable clients including those who will need to apply for benefits as a result of the virus. [Welwyn Hatfield]

> Citizens Advice Watford - £2,000 to purchase two additional home working kits for volunteers to enable them to join the team of trained advisors working at home and fielding the increasing numbers of people who need help because of health and income issues. [Watford]

> Jimmy Macs Activity Centre for Retired and Disabled People - £2,000 to phone and text the frail and elderly people who normally attend their day centre to keep them positive and identify any client that may be struggling and arrange appropriate help. [Welwyn Hatfield]

Helen Gray added: “We are so grateful to everyone who has supported our appeal so far and we are delighted that the National Emergencies Trust has boosted our appeal with a donation of £50,000 from their national appeal.

"This is a significant helping hand for our communities, and it is thanks to this and other generous donations that we have been able to provide such rapid support to these vital organisations who are helping elderly and vulnerable people across Hertfordshire in these challenging times.

“There are however still many more worthwhile causes that urgently need our assistance. If anyone can help and would like to make a donation of any size, the sector very much needs additional funds so we can continue to allocate grants and help those most in need.”

For more information about Mediation Hertfordshire visit: www.mediationherts.org.uk.

To apply for a grant from the fund visit www.hertscf.org.uk/coronavirus or to donate to the Coronavirus Disaster Relief Fund visit Hertfordshire Community Foundation’s website.

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