Supporting voluntary and community sector organisations in 2024

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.

The charity runs an annual 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 core and activity funding.

The Trustee’s Grants Committee this year allocated £100,000 of funding to 90 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:

• Rise North East – a health and wellbeing charity focussed on physical activity and how that makes a difference to communities.
• Love, Amelia – a Sunderland based baby bank charity, whose vision is for no child to be without the essential items and equipment they need to be safe, happy and to thrive.
• Norton Men's Shed – a volunteer run organisation that supports people who are feeling socially isolated.
• Moving On Durham – a charity that aims to break the cycle of youth homelessness by providing temporary supported housing across County Durham.
• Making a Difference (The Haven) – a Hartlepool charity that provides free, confidential and professional counselling services to young people who are experiencing emotional distress, social or behavioural concerns.

The charity also supported Friends Action North East, a Newcastle based charity that supports people with a learning disability, autistic spectrum disorder and mental health problems to reduce social isolation. The team developed a wide-ranging programme to help individuals gain the skills, knowledge and experience needed to build and maintain meaningful and lasting friendships.

The Hospital of God also 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 Sprouts Community Food Charity, who used their grant funding to contribute towards the running costs of a Youth Café in Thornaby in partnership with Corner House Youth Project. Debra Fixter, Manager said “Sprouts are delighted to have received funding from the Hospital of God’s 2024 Grants programme. The young people we work with have shown so much enthusiasm to get involved in recipe planning, cooking, service and running a café, and we hope that the project will give the young people a sense of belonging and ownership of the community, giving them a purpose and hopefully take pride in their area and reduce any anti-social behaviour they may previously have been party to."

Margaret Bousfield, Chair of the Grants Committee said, “The Hospital of God is a proud supporter of the voluntary and community sector in the North East, and we are pleased to continue to support a wide range of organisations who make a positive social impact in our communities.”

The Hospital of Grants Committee consider applications on an annual basis and the next round of funding opened on 1 December 2024 and closes at the end of January 2025, with funding issued in April 2025. Applications for grant funding can be accessed via www.hospitalofgod.org.uk/grants-programme.

Established in 1273 by Bishop Robert de Stichell, the Hospital of God employs over 100 staff and its portfolio of services span:

• Residential care 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 small group 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/

Photograph shows Friends Action North East’s woodland activities