Sheffield SVP centre awarded Comic Relief grant

St Vincent's Centre in Sheffield

Source: SVP/Comic Relief

St Vincent's in Sheffield has been awarded a £4,000 grant from the Comic Relief Covid-19 Community Fund (England). Opened in 1987, community support centre run by SVP volunteers provides furniture to disadvantaged individuals and families.

The team at St Vincent's collect, then redistribute recycled furniture and household items free of charge to people who are disadvantaged due to poverty, deprivation or circumstance, regardless of faith, belief, gender, age, physical or mental ability, sexual orientation or marital status.

During the last year, St Vincent's made 1,090 deliveries, directly helping a total of 2,757 people, and delivering more than 7,000 items of furniture and household items across the city.

The aim of the Comic Relief Covid-19 Community Fund (England) is to support local grassroots organisations to respond to the needs of vulnerable individuals, families and communities during the Covid-19 crisis, and recover from the impact Covid-19 has had on their services.

The new fund has been made available with funds raised by the British public through The Big Night In appeal and match funding from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS). The fund is for organisations who deliver activities against at least one of Comic Relief's themes: Children Survive & Thrive; Fighting for Gender Justice; A Safe Place to Be; and Mental Health Matters.

Grants of £4,000 are available to local grassroots organisations with 'lived experience' to respond to the current local need as a response to the Covid-19 emergency, and it may assist charities through short-term organisational recovery. The funding is part of the government's £750 million fund for charities.

Ralph Dickins, Fundraiser at St Vincent's in the city, said: "Comic Relief is a great organisation to be connected with, and shows we are at the forefront of the fight against poverty in this city. In common with all the SVP community shops and support centres across the country, St Vincent's, Sheffield wouldn't be able to provide our essential service without the tireless efforts of our members and volunteers. This grant demonstrates how important their work is to those who need it most in our communities."

The Comic Relief Covid-19 Community Fund (England) is administered by the national community charity, Groundwork UK.

Graham Duxbury, National Chief Executive of Groundwork UK, adds: "We are pleased that the Comic Relief Covid-19 Community Fund (England) is making a difference to those in need and helping to support vulnerable communities at this uncertain time."

A family who moved into unfurnished rented accommodation had no money to buy the essential items they needed to turn the empty space into a home. The St Vincent de Paul Society in Sheffield provided the furniture they desperately needed.

Since the furniture was delivered, things within the home dramatically improved. The children now have a space to sit and complete school work without distraction, and their behaviour has also improved simply by having somewhere to sit together and eat meals as a family. This has led to family conversations with everyone talking about their day.

The mother of the family said: "It's not just a table and chairs, it's the time we spend together around it."

LINKS

St Vincent de Paul Society - www.svp.org.uk Alternatively, visit:
SVP Furniture Store Sheffield www.svpfurniturestoresheffield.org.uk

Apply for a Comic Relief Grant - www.groundwork.org.uk/comic-relief-apply-for-a-covid-19-community-grant/

SVP Twitter - @SVPEnglandWales
SVP telephone - 020 7703 3030