Regional Charity supports local organisations

The Hospital of God at Greatham has a long and proud philanthropic history of working with vulnerable people living in the North East of England.

As a Charity, it also runs a small grants programme which provides funding to local community-based organisations. The aim of the funding is to empower local communities to help and support themselves creating and building on their strengths and assets, with a particular focus on those who are experiencing disadvantage. The grants programme also supports smaller and emerging local based groups with core and activity funding.

The Trustee’s Grants Committee has recently met and allocated £74,000 of funding to 34 voluntary and community sector organisations. The organisations are based with the Hospital of God’s geographical area of focus which covers Stockton to Northumberland. Some of the organisations that received funding include

• Harbour Support Services – providing assistance to families and individuals affected by domestic abuse
• Purple Rose Health and Well-Being – a community organisation based in Stockton which primarily works with Asylum Seekers and Refugee women and children
• Veterans in Crisis Community Interest Company – which supports veterans to access a wide range of help and support
• Cowpen Quay Community Association – a community organisations which runs the Buffalo Community Centre in Blyth providing lifelong learning and recreational activities

Hartlepool Baby Bank, a registered Charity which collects donations of clothes, toys and equipment for babies and children was also supported with grant funding. Emilie de Bruijn, Trustee of Hartlepool Baby Bank said “The Hospital of God provided Hartlepool Baby Bank with its first ever source of grant funding in 2019 and this funding helped us to grow from a constituted group into a registered Charity. Since then, we have grown and now support around 100 families a week across Hartlepool. We are so thankful for The Hospital of God for their continued support.”

The Charity has a specific element to their grants programme which is used to support voluntary and community sector organisations within Stockton-on-Tees. One of the organisations to benefit within this round of funding is The Corner House Youth Project, a Charity which supports young people to get involved in their communities, enjoy their lives and achieve their potential through a variety of activities and services.

Debbie Jones, Chief Executive of The Corner House Youth Project said “We are thrilled to have received the funding from Hospital of God to support our open access youth offer, during what is always a difficult time of year in terms of youth engagement. The money will allow us not only to educate vulnerable young people around dangers such as fireworks and involvement in anti-social behaviour, but also to provide healthy food and a safe place to spend their free time. It will allow us to offer more sessions and support more young people’s physical and mental wellbeing, which is always our top priority.”

Another organisation to benefit from grant funding is Linskill and North Tyneside Community Development Trust, a not-for-profit organisation which runs the Linskill Centre in North Shields and delivers a wide range of community projects. Simeon Ripley, Chief Executive said “This grant will enable us to support parents, empowering them to parent more effectively and sensitively, helping to strengthen families leading to more cohesive communities. Parents will be helped to understand how their own experiences have shaped their parenting approach and they will learn about child development alongside practical strategies to improve behaviour.”

The Hospital of God’s Grants Committee also decided to provide every organisation they supported through this grants programme with a one-off allocation of £100, specifically to be used on employee and volunteer well-being activities. This is in recognition that 2021 has been a very difficult and challenging time for voluntary and community sector organisations. By supporting the wellbeing of people within these organisations, The Hospital of God hope to contribute to their overall health and resilience and in turn help them to deliver their charitable purpose more effectively. Last year, The Hospital of God’s Grants Committee also supported organisations with Covid-19 emergency grant funding.

Margaret Bousfield, Chair of the Grants Committee said “I am delighted that The Hospital of God continues to make a positive social impact through its long-established grants programme. Our Trustees are passionate advocates of the voluntary and community sector and are committed to supporting a wide range of organisations.”

The Hospital of Grants Committee have recently met and have updated the grants allocation process. Grants will now be considered on an annual basis and the next round of funding opens in mid-December 2021 and applications must be submitted online by 31 January 2022. For more information visit www.hospitalofgod.org.uk/page/grants.

Established in 1273 by Bishop Robert de Stichell, the Charity now employs 180 staff and its portfolio of services span:

• Nursing care at Gretton Court a 37-bed facility based in Hartlepool;
• Residential nursing at Stichell House a 35-bed purpose-built facility set in the landscaped grounds of the Greatham estate;
• Community day services for people living with dementia or memory issues and their carers in East Durham and Hartlepool;
• The Bridge; a one stop dementia care and advice hub service;
• Community pastimes; a one-to-one service supporting people living with dementia or facing social isolation to be as independent as possible;
• Almshouses in Greatham, Norton and Stockton-on-Tees, enabling elderly people to live independently;
• The Charity owns 120 private properties and facilities which it leases on a commercial basis; and
• A grants programme which provides grant funding to local organisations to make a positive social impact.

For more information visit www.hospitalofgod.org.uk/