West Berkshire Community Fund awards £15,000 to local charities

Seven local charities will share more than £15,000 following successful bids to the West Berkshire Community Fund.

The West Berkshire Community Fund is one of the good causes supported by the West Berkshire Lottery. From every lottery ticket sold, 50p goes towards a cause of the player's choice and 10p goes into the Community Fund. Players can also select the Community Fund as their charity if they have no particular allegiance to a specific good cause. The fund is allocated annually by West Berkshire Council with good causes able to bid for additional funding to support specific projects.

This year seven projects have been supported with funding totalling £15,418. This includes:

• St Marks CoE Schools Association - £4,000. Funding for around 14 tablet devices for use in teaching a new phonics scheme in reception, year one and year two
• Time to Talk West Berkshire - £3,538. Funding to support counselling for parents whose children who are suffering with mental health issues, or who are struggling with parenting because of their own mental health issues
• Daisy's Dream - £2,000. Funding towards the salaries of two therapeutic practitioners in West Berkshire - supporting the needs of children and their families living in West Berkshire
• Home-Start West Berkshire - £2,000. Funding towards the Resilient Families project which supports families in need of support but not meeting the threshold for statutory intervention
• Loose Ends Newbury - £1,500. Funding for food and essential supplies for meals and food parcels and the provision of other essential items for vulnerable clients
• City Arts Newbury - £1,380. Funding to offer Create Thursdays, a free ten-week art course for over-65s living alone and Art Shed - six 90-minutes sessions for young children to explore physical, creative art techniques and projects
• Action for Pangbourne Toilets Charitable Trust - £1,000. Funding for the modernisation of the gent's toilets

Chairman of West Berkshire Council, Councillor Rick Jones said:

"It's fantastic to be able to use the Community Fund to support local charities and all the good work they do. They are making a real different to people right here in West Berkshire and we are grateful for all that they do. Of course, the Community Fund is made possible by everyone who plays the West Berkshire Lottery and we are grateful to everyone who helps local charities by playing."

Joanne Stewart from Daisy's Dream said:

"Daisy's Dream are thrilled to receive this grant from the West Berks Community Fund. This amount will help us to support many children and young people and their families in West Berkshire who have been affected by bereavement or a life limiting illness. It is because of amazing funds and grants like this, that we are able to continue our valuable work."

Tammy Willsher from Time to Talk West Berkshire said:

"We are absolutely delighted to receive this grant from West Berkshire Community Fund - this money will go towards our continuing parent project. Being a parent can be difficult at the best of times and it is even harder if parents are facing challenges themselves. We know that getting support is beneficial and this then has a positive effect on a person's capacity to parent/care effectively. When parents feel that their issues are getting in the way parenting or their relationship with their children, this is an opportunity for counselling for them. This service not only has a positive effect on the person having counselling but the children and other people they care for."

Since it was launched in 2019, the West Berkshire Lottery has raised more than £250,000 for charities and good causes across the district.

Want to play the West Berkshire Lottery?

Tickets cost £1, with 60p going back into the community. From each ticket sold, 50p goes to a good cause chosen by the player and another 10p goes into a community fund. Players can win prizes ranging from free plays up to a top prize of £25,000. To view a list of the charities you can support, and buy tickets visit www.westberkshirelottery.co.uk. Tickets can also be bought over the phone by calling 01635 597111.