Hall & Woodhouse has launched its 21st Community Chest awards, with applications opening to local causes from Friday 1st April.

The family-owned brewer launched the Community Chest initiative in 2002 and has again pledged a total of £50,000 to worthy causes located across Dorset. Hall & Woodhouse’s grant application process allows voluntary and charity groups to apply for up to £3,000 to support their needs.

Mark Woodhouse, Family Director of Hall & Woodhouse, explained: “The Community Chest was founded over 20 years ago to support and strengthen the local communities of which our pubs are an integral part of. It is simply the right thing to do to maintain our offer of financial support for these local organisations that play such vital roles in our communities.”

Hall & Woodhouse has adapted its application process for 2022 to now operate in two stages to be able to consider organisations that have an urgent need for funding. The majority of grant applications will be considered in the autumn with funding received in January 2023, but some recipients will be fast-tracked to receive funds in September 2022 to accommodate any crucial needs.

Hall & Woodhouse is also pleased to announce the addition of popular local BBC radio presenter, Steve Harris, to the judging panel for this year’s awards.

Mark Woodhouse added: “We are delighted to welcome Steve Harris to our judging panel. His enthusiasm to be a part of the Community Chest and help us to support others, is wonderful to see.

“It has been a difficult few years and with us all facing additional financial pressures, we are particularly keen to hear from those most in need.”

Since 2002, the Hall & Woodhouse Community Chest has donated over £715,000 to more than 860 causes across the south of England and works in partnership with both the Dorset and Sussex Community Foundations.

A Community Chest grant can go towards improving a variety of different aspects of the local area, for example, by helping alleviate poverty and social isolation, as well as supporting well-being initiatives and specialist health related support groups. It also supports extra-curricular and sporting activities, the arts, environment and more.

Applicants have until Friday 1st July 2022 to submit their grant requests. The application form can be downloaded via www.hall-woodhouse.co.uk/community-chest and then emailed to communitychest@hall-woodhouse.co.uk for consideration.

All applications will be notified of the outcome of their application by the end of November 2022, with successful grant beneficiaries being invited to a celebratory awards evening in January 2023.