EIGHTEEN COMMUNITY ORGANISATIONS SHARE IN £18,500 WINDFALL

Eighteen community groups across Norfolk, north Suffolk and east Cambridgeshire are to share a combined windfall of £18,500, following the latest round of grants from Lovewell Blake’s Community Fund – taking the amount given out in grants since the Fund was founded fifteen years ago through to more than £340,000.

The money was raised by staff and partners at the leading regional firm of chartered accountants and financial planners.

A wide range of charities, voluntary groups and community organisations have received grants ranging from £235 to £2,000 to help deliver a variety of community activities.  The recipients of the grants were chosen by a panel of Lovewell Blake staff, assisted by the Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Community Foundations, which administer the Lovewell Blake Community Fund.

The organisations receiving grants were:

NORFOLK

• Norwich Mens Shed, which received £2,000 to purchase a large wood-turning lathe and a heat press
• Multiple Sclerosis Therapy Centre Norfolk, which received £1,500 to provide a weekly yoga class for a year
• Thompson Millennium Green Charitable Trust, which received £1,500 to repair and maintain exercise and play equipment on the village green
• Bungay Cricket Club, which received £1,500 to replace old and storm-damaged cover tops
• Lowestoft and Waveney Breastfeeding Support, which received £1,180 to purchase breast pumps and pump packs
• Carleton Rode Jubilee Hall & Social Club, which received £1,000 towards the purchase and installation of a new piece of play equipment
• Morley Village & Sports Hall, which received £1,000 to purchase new climbing equipment
• Wellspring Family Centre in Dereham, which received £499 to purchase a new oven
• Dereham Deaf Social Club, which received £314 towards the purchase of a projector and projector screen
• Stoke Ferry and District History Group, which received £270 to purchase equipment for the Community History Archive (Lovewell Blake also donated surplus office equipment to the group)
• Community Action Norwich, which received £235 to purchase a new whiteboard, dodgeballs and speaker

SUFFOLK

• East Bergholt Juniors Football Club, which received £1,293 to purchase equipment and kit
• Memories Are Golden in Haverhill, which received £940 to purchase new improved chairs for older people
• Boost Felixstowe, which received £729 towards the maintenance of the garden projects, and for furnishings for the reflection room at Felixstowe High School
• Waveney Gymnastics Club, which received £718 to pay for training for young volunteers to become qualified coaches
• Waveney Wolves American Football Club, which received £520 to purchase sports equipment
• Mendlesham Football Club, which received £302 to purchase new goals nets

CAMBRIDGESHIRE

• PosAbility in Ely, which received £2,000 to pay for venue hire for exercise sessions for people with long-term neurological conditions
• Arts & Minds in Cambridge, which received £1,000 towards the cost of running art workshops

“We are delighted to be able to support such a variety of fabulous organisations which are doing such great work in our communities,” said Tracy Cox, chair of Lovewell Blake’s fundraising committee.  “These groups are what bind our communities together, and they are the inspiration for our staff and partners to undertake fundraising activities throughout the year.

“This year we have given £18,500 thanks to the efforts of our staff and partners, and to everyone who supported our fundraising efforts during the year.  We are very proud that we are able to continue to support a range of brilliant community groups 15 years after we first set up the LB150 Fund (as the Lovewell Blake Community Fund was initially called).”

The Lovewell Blake Community Fund was originally set up in 2008 as part of the firm’s 150th anniversary celebrations, with the aim of raising £150,000 for local charities and community groups in five years.  Once the target was achieved, the firm decided to continue the fund, and to date it has distributed grants totalling over £340,000.