Covers Timber and Builders Merchants has donated a further £10,000 to the Sussex Crisis Fund.
This is the second substantial donation the company has made to the charity, following its original contribution of £15,000 during the first lockdown – part of the £50,000 funding total it gave to support those in need during the pandemic.
The fund was set up by Sussex Community Foundation to support local charities and community groups helping people suffering due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Since March, the charity has raised and given out more than £3 million in grants to more than 300 causes.
One of the charities that has recently benefited from the Sussex Crisis Fund is Selsey Community Forum, which received a £5,000 grant. The charity is a partnership of local voluntary organisations and runs the Selsey Care Shop in the town’s high street, which provides a range of support services for adults and older people. This includes befriending schemes, dementia support and debt support. The recent grant will help the charity to respond to local mental health and social isolation needs, as well as assisting with restarting the charity’s regular activities. Selsey Community Forum will be launching a range of new initiatives, including a friendship group, outdoor afternoon teas for older people and a shared garden scheme to assist families with growing food.
Kevin Richmond, CEO of Sussex Community Foundation, said: “This third lockdown is now beginning to ease and we are all delighted to see some light at the end of the tunnel. However, for many people, the fallout from this pandemic is hitting harder than ever and there is much more work for our amazing local charities to do to support those people.
“We are delighted to receive a second generous donation from Covers, which will help to support local charities to recover from the pandemic and assist those who need it most. This is an excellent example of a company that is embedded in its local community, stepping up once again, in a time of need.”
Rupert Green, Chairman of Covers, added: “The coronavirus pandemic continues to adversely affect hundreds of people and families across our community. After donating £50,000 to charities last year, we wanted to maintain this support in 2021 and ensure that those affected receive the financial assistance they so desperately need. We are therefore delighted to be once again donating to the Sussex Crisis Fund and hope that the funds make a real difference to those struggling during such difficult times.”
