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Didcot Powerhouse 2024 grant applications open
Published on 15 December 2023
The Didcot Powerhouse Fund, of which the Park is a founding member and keen supporter, is opening for grant applications from 1st December 2023 and the theme for 2024 grant-giving is: ‘Creating Stronger Bonds in our Community’.
Projects will need to demonstrate that they can help create a resilient and more inclusive community where people of all ages and backgrounds can thrive, and address challenges such as isolation and poor mental health. Partnership working between organisations is actively encouraged too.
To make a 2024 grant application, a short form link will be live here from 1st December 2023 and you can view previous grant recipients here.
Didcot Powerhouse is entering its third year of grant-giving and in just 2 years since its launch, £270,000 in donations has been raised resulting in 35 grants made to local charities and community groups totalling £175,000 for 2022 and 2023. Funds have directly supported 2,880 beneficiaries who live in and around Didcot and a minimum of 90% of the grant funding is delivered to local people. Projects have addressed educational needs, mental health, physical wellbeing, personal development and giving individuals a better start in life.
Matt Wright, CEO of Hachette UK Distribution in Milton Park said: “We are delighted to be able to double our contribution to the Didcot Powerhouse Fund this year, having been a founding donor. The fund does an amazing job of ensuring the contributions go to deserving, local causes. It is run extremely professionally and provides brilliant communication back to donors. In our case I can share this with all of our staff who help to raise the funds. Seeing the local impact is incredibly motivating for everyone in our business, and we hope to do more in the future.”
Elizabeth Paris, Chair of Didcot Powerhouse said: “We are incredibly proud of what has been achieved in a relatively short space of time and are hugely thankful to our business donors, community fundraisers, grant recipients and the voluntary Powerhouse team who collectively drive us forward. Together we have made a fantastic team and our efforts are helping to positively turn lives around.”
Work has not stopped there, this year Powerhouse has forged a partnership with local charity SOFEA to create ‘The Powerhouse Pathway’, a pilot project aimed at local employers and 16 – 18 year olds. It is enabling young people at 16, who may not wish to move on to college or A levels, to have a third choice. By joining the Powerhouse Pathway they receive a one year contract to work 3 days a week with a local employer for the minimum wage, and 2 days a week to work with SOFEA on employability skills, and retaking their GCSEs if needed. Pathways is a bridge for young people into a successful career and SOFEA mentors the students to help them overcome any challenges they face.
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