RNLI Cromer

Garry Campbell on March 25, 2021

Awarded a £4,000 grant in 2018, the money has gone towards funding the vital lifeguard services the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) provides at Cromer beach, Norfolk. With approximately 95% of RNLI crew serving as volunteers, funding is essential – and has gone a long way to helping the lifeguards in Cromer beach.

Lifeguard Supervisors Sam Kendrick and Ted Morgan cover 19 beaches across North Norfolk, and get training tests every 30 days. They’re also trained to first responder level, which has proven to be a lifesaver – literally:

“A few of our current and ex-colleagues have actually used their first responder training to save a life on dry land. One lifeguard resuscitated a man who had a heart attack in a pub. He performed chest compressions for 45 minutes until the paramedics arrived.”

Above all, the RNLI’s most important mission is to educate.

RNLI Fundraising Manager, Ben Black, explains:

“We have all the high-grade equipment but we don’t want to use it. We want to educate people so that they don’t need to be rescued.”

The Norfolk lifeguards also hold free sessions for schoolchildren to learn the dangers of the sea and what to do if they get in trouble.

Cromer Lifeboat Operations Manager, Richard Leeds, has been volunteering with the lifeboat association for 25 years now. Its residence is the RNLI Lester, which is used for rescues that are further afield.

He says:

“We rely a lot on public funding so, considering that a boat like this costs around £2.5 million to make, schemes such as Tesco’s Bags of Help are a brilliant help.”

To find out more about the RNLI, visit https://rnli.org/.

Bearded Fishermen

Garry Campbell on March 25, 2021

“We want our community to feel loved and that they don’t need to be alone at all”

The organisation aims to increase awareness of mental health and prevent suicide by providing support, safety and comfort. They provide a 24/7 service and run support groups for men, women and children.

The Bearded Fishermen support groups and drop-ins are set to increase, providing continued comfort after counselling periods have ended. The 24-hour suicide prevention service allows anyone to receive support via telephone or in person where necessary, alleviating pressure on medical services.

http://www.beardedfishermen.org.uk/

f: @beardedfishermencharity

t: @Brdfishermen_uk

News: Tesco Community Grants re-opens for applications

Garry Campbell on March 22, 2021

Community groups across the UK are being invited to apply for funding for local projects that matter to them.

The Tesco Community Grant scheme will award grants to charities and community organisations to fund local good causes whose focus is on supporting children and families.

Funding pots of £500, £1000 and £1500 will be available for projects and Tesco customers will be able to choose which project receives the most funding by voting in store every time they shop. Eligible projects include breakfast or holiday lunch clubs, food banks, youth clubs or schools.

Originally launched in 2016 as Bags of Help the scheme has supported over 36,000 community groups with more than £86million in grants since 2016, including 2,000 sports teams and 1,400 groups supporting vulnerable older people.

The programme is available across the UK and is administered by community charity, Groundwork with support from greenspace scotland to support projects in Scotland.   

Graham Duxbury, Groundwork’s UK Chief Executive, said:

“We know how difficult the last year has been for many community groups, who have seen demand for their services increase but funding and volunteer numbers decrease.  We’re delighted to be working with Tesco to provide these much needed funds, which will help to support local communities as we recover from the pandemic.”

To find out more or to apply, please visit the apply for a grant page.

Report: Funding communities in a crisis

Garry Campbell on March 22, 2021

This report explores insights from the Tesco Bags of Help COVID-19 Communities Fund.

The report finds that the grants provided through the Tesco Bags of Help COVID-19 Communities Fund have had a significant impact on communities across the UK, with a total of £4m being awarded to 8,000 groups when the fund closed in September 2020. Although the financial value of each grant is small, the difference they have made to small charities and community groups was substantial.

Read the full report: