#CommunitiesCan

MindOut provides vital support for LGBTQ mental health

Helen Jones

Helen Jones, February 23, 2021 — #CommunitiesCan

CEO, MindOut

MindOut volunteers
As part of DCMS Community Match Challenge through Global’s Make Some Noise, MindOut, based in Brighton, has received a £20,000 grant for their virtual mental health service for the LGBTQ+ community. The funding covers online Support Worker salaries and training costs to extend hours for the online support service. This temporary increase in hours and…
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Military Wives Choirs: A thank you for supporting our virtual activity #CommunitiesCan

Eleanor Pullen

Eleanor Pullen, October 9, 2020 — #CommunitiesCan

Digital Engagement Officer, Military Wives Choirs

12 members of the Military Wives Choirs pose for a photo wearing choir outfits including a black dress and purple cardigan
The grant funding that the Military Wives Choirs has received has enabled us to continue to bring our network together, albeit virtually, during these unprecedented times in the COVID-19 pandemic. With over 70 choirs and more than 2,000 members in British military bases across the UK and overseas, the Military Wives Choirs is a charity…
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Building trust and community cohesion through Board Games – #CommunitiesCan

Mem Mehmet

Mem Mehmet, September 11, 2020 — #CommunitiesCan

Happiness Engineer, Universal Board Games

Two dads play a board game in the park as their children watch on. All socially distanced.
Universal Board Games have been using play to build trust and community cohesion for 20 years. We feel it will be even more important to rebuild this after the negative impact of the coronavirus lockdown on vulnerable communities in Hackney. The Coronavirus Community Support Fund we’ve received has enabled us to build capacity and plan…
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Reshaping the Hailsham Festival – #CommunitiesCan

Dr Tony Biggin

Dr Tony Biggin, September 4, 2020 — #CommunitiesCan

Chair, Hailsham Festival

Hailsham Festival
In early 2020 Hailsham Festival – an annual celebration of creativity, talent and imagination – was gearing up for its most ambitious year ever – not only were plans well advanced for the ‘normal’ festival fortnight in September but also for ‘String’ – a newly commissioned community musical, rooted in Hailsham, its surrounding villages and…
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EFL Football Clubs: Tackling loneliness together – #CommunitiesCan

Mike Evans

Mike Evans, August 28, 2020 — #CommunitiesCan

CEO, EFL Trust

EFL Trust - Tackling loneliness together graphic
How EFL football clubs are bringing people together and connecting older people at risk of loneliness COVID-19 and the lockdown restrictions brought loneliness into sharp focus. In these troubled times it filled me with a great sense of pride to see how EFL football clubs and their community organisations stepped up to provide a vital…
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Monkstown Boxing Club – #CommunitiesCan

National Emergencies Trust

National Emergencies Trust, August 13, 2020 — #CommunitiesCan

Monkstown
Monkstown Boxing Club, in Northern Ireland, is delivering 300 meals every week to people most affected by coronavirus in its community. From the beginning of the coronavirus outbreak, Monkstown Boxing Club knew that its local community would be heavily affected – with pensioners, families and those suffering from poor health all needing urgent help.  With…
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Wholehearted Childhood, supporting wellbeing through nature – #CommunitiesCan

Helen Nistala

Helen Nistala, August 12, 2020 — #CommunitiesCan

Founder, Wholehearted Childhood

Wholehearted Childhood is a new organisation with a mission to help children and their communities to flourish, wholeheartedly engaged in the natural world. In March, we were looking forward to a summer of events, bringing groups of looked after children and their foster carers together to enjoy the outdoors, supported by the National Lottery Heritage…
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The Door Youth Project – #CommunitiesCan

Barrie Voyce

Barrie Voyce, — #CommunitiesCan

Business Development Director, The Door Youth Project

When lockdown started and many charities were forced to close, directors of Gloucestershire youth charity The Door made the decision to stay open. We already knew that for the vulnerable young people we support anxiety levels were rising. As the threat of the pandemic increased, and the prospect of school, mental health services and other…
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Sunshine & Smiles with Leeds Down Syndrome Network – #CommunitiesCan

Ailith Harley-Roberts

Ailith Harley-Roberts, August 10, 2020 — #CommunitiesCan

Service Manager, Sunshine and Smiles

Sunshine and smiles
On 15th March we took the incredibly difficult decision to close our shop & café, 21 Co. due to the mounting concerns about the Coronavirus pandemic.  21 Co. is part of Sunshine & Smiles – Leeds Down Syndrome Network and offers paid work opportunities for 10 young people who have Down Syndrome.  As the week…
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Ability Bow – An exercise lifeline #CommunitiesCan

Victoria Kent

Victoria Kent, August 4, 2020 — #CommunitiesCan

Founder and CEO, Ability Bow

Ability Bow
Ability Bow provides an exercise lifeline in east London, supporting people who have disabilities and those living with life-changing health conditions such as diabetes, strokes and cancer. Whilst lockdown restrictions have been eased this is not the case for our community, many of whom are still shielding. The people we normally support in our gym…
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