24 Charities and community groups located in key regions within Hall & Woodhouse’s (H&W) managed house estate, including Dorset, Wiltshire, Hampshire and Devon, have benefited from the annual fund.

Lucinda Gray, Company Relationship Manager of Hall & Woodhouse, said: “The charity sector is one of the hardest hit by the pandemic. We have heard first-hand from the causes we celebrated during our Community Chest Awards evening, just how severely impacted fundraising has been due to the various lockdowns.

“I am proud that as a business, H&W managed to navigate the turbulence of the past 18 months to remain committed to the Community Chest Awards this year. The need has never been greater to support our local communities and we are thrilled that the Community Chest initiative continues to make such a significant difference, almost 20 years on since its inception.”

MYTIME Young Carers received a £2,000 grant to help fund an employability programme which will support young adult carers into further education, training or employment. Sadly, young carers make enormous sacrifices to take care of their families, but their caring responsibilities often leave them without the time or energy for socialising, hobbies or schoolwork. This is why the employability programme plays a crucial role to support young carers into the workplace.

Vale Pantry in Sturminster Newton, Dorset, is an initiative created to provide a long-term solution to food poverty across the UK. Members of Vale Pantry pay a small weekly fee in exchange for at least ten items of food. Since using the scheme, members have reported improved financial positions, health and wellbeing.

A £2,000 grant has been awarded to purchase food for the 200 families that rely on Vale Pantry’s services each week.

The Water Lily Project in Christchurch, Dorset, provides a safe place to support and empower vulnerable women. The £1,500 donation will help towards the cost of counselling sessions and bursary funding.

The Veterans Hub in Weymouth, Dorset, comprises of a café providing free and subsidised meals to veterans and their families within the local community. There is also a therapeutic area with raised allotments, an indoor gym, sensory garden and a reading room. The £2,000 grant will be used towards the cost of providing meals for veterans and for vehicle repairs to provide transport to the Hub.

The annual awards are an initiative created by Hall & Woodhouse (H&W), with the ambition to improve both the facilities and the lives of people in the community, by providing grants to local voluntary groups and causes that require financial support.

Applications will be open for the 2022 Community Chest awards in February, where voluntary groups can request funding ranging from £400 to £4,000, to help them achieve their aims. Grants could be awarded for new equipment, training, transport or running costs, and can be made towards youth services, the elderly, or any other projects that enhance the local community.

Please visit www.hall-woodhouse.co.uk for more information.