ACCEPT is a Christian charity whose vision is improved mental health for those experiencing difficulties and good mental health for the wider population. Their work takes place at a Community Wellbeing Garden and they have also established friendship groups, to help overcome isolation, in 4 different counties.
In July, Heather from our Sector Support team carried out a funding search and provided the group with a list of potential funding opportunities that were available. Following on from the search, the group contacted VAL to request help and feedback on a draft funding application which they were submitting to the National Lottery Community Fund for a pilot Bereavement Project to provide support to clients struggling with their grief.
VAL helped the group by providing a Read and Review service and offering feedback on the draft funding application. This included checking that all questions have been answered fully, and including additional support information on the service they wanted to provide along with useful stats like waiting list numbers. The feedback given enabled them to strengthen their application.
The group were successful with the application and were awarded £10,000 from The National Lottery Community Fund for their Bereavement Project.
Aidan Lucas, from Accept:
We are so grateful to Heather Jallands and the team at Voluntary Action Leicestershire, (VAL) for all their support for us, as a small mental health charity, based in Barwell, Leicestershire.
We have found the service very easy to access, even during lockdown. They provided us with a substantial list of potential funders. The feedback on our funding applications has been extremely helpful, clear, detailed and responded to quickly. This has not only improved the applications that we have made, but has also increased our confidence in writing future applications.
This has led to us being successful in receiving funding, to provide much needed services for people experiencing mental health issues, isolation and bereavement through weekly wellbeing gardening days and monthly bereavement friendship groups, both at the site. We are therefore extremely grateful to VAL for playing a significant role in making our plans and dreams for this group of vulnerable people become a reality.
If you would like any help or support for your group or organisation, get in touch with our Sector Support Team, who are here to help:
0116 257 5050