The Kent Parish Council Winter Support Scheme is inviting applications from new or existing initiatives helping people in financial hardship as a result of the cost-of-living crisis.
Kent County Council (KCC) manages a portion of the Household Support Fund from the Department for Work and Pensions and this latest round includes a pot for distribution by parish, town and local councils.
It is there for a wide range of low-income households in need including families with children, older age people, unpaid carers and those living with a disability. All may be facing acute challenges.
The funds could be used for food, washing machines and fridge freezers, slow cookers, air fryers, energy saving items like lightbulbs, warm packs and draft excluders and winter clothes. Plus, it can help to manage health conditions, safeguard independence and avoid social isolation.
The Kent Association of Local Councils (KALC) will administer the grants once an application has passed successfully through a KCC panel process, with funds set to be received within days.
This scheme follows the successful Parish Council Community Cost of Living Support Scheme, which helped 9,800 residents through grants awarded to 37 projects including meal clubs, a hygiene bank, the supply of school uniforms and food vouchers.
Chief Executive of KALC Charmaine Keatley said: “Some funding bids can be laborious and resource intensive, but this is a really simple application form and there is plenty of support available from both us and the KCC team.
“We have seen coffee mornings, dementia carers and community larders supported through these funds before and enabling small groups has made a significant difference, especially in our rural areas.
“Parish councils themselves may have ideas of a project they would like to support or members of the public can contact the clerk of their parish council with suggestions. It is on a first come, first served basis so don’t delay in getting the application in.”
Leader of KCC Roger Gough said: “Parish, town and local councils are very well positioned to understand their communities’ unique and diverse needs, which have arisen because of or been further deepened by the financial difficulties being faced by so many. This knowledge will be invaluable to the success of this scheme.
“We are pleased to support cost of living initiatives in partnership with KALC, projects which may seem relatively small but have proven to certainly pack a powerful punch in terms of the positive impact on lives.”
The scheme is open now and runs until 29 March 2024. Applications are online and can be submitted up until 1 March 2024. Remember it is first come, first served.
- Members of the public: You can find contact details of your local parish council here: https://www.kent.gov.uk/about-the-council/how-the-council-works/district-councils/parish-councils
- Parish councils: To view the eligibility criteria and complete the application form, please follow this link: https://forms.office.com/e/wu1B38bVkS
- If you need help with the form or have any questions, please email the Financial Hardship team via HelpingHands@kent.gov.uk adding reference Parish Council / KCC in the subject line.
More information:
Feedback from two projects which received grants through the previous Parish Council Community Cost of Living Support Scheme.
West Faversham Community Centre
“We have had several service users comment how much they have appreciated the community fridge at this difficult time. One client explained to me how much she had managed to save on her weekly shopping and gave tips on how she preserves and uses the random food she collects.
“The footfall of people just coming in for the fridge is around 50-60 a day, plus there are people who come in for other reasons and also visit the fridge, around another 30-40.
“We have service users who come in everyday to use the fridge and have a hot drink.
"We have been able to offer additional support to those in need. Through chatting to service users we have been able to help with form filling, benefit checks, signposting to other charities and organisations and offered them the opportunity to join our groups to help with the cost of living such as our cookery group and wellbeing sessions.”
Faversham Food Friends
“The grant helped support our home cooked meal sharing initiative over the summer months, bringing 23 people together to regularly share food and friendship across Faversham.
“More than 60 home cooked meals were shared, each delivered with kindness and care. And all of these food friendships are still going strong, as friendship and connection blossoms beyond the food.
"We held an event over the summer where Food Friends from Faversham joined Food Friends from Whitstable, Canterbury and Herne Bay for a celebration lunch. We had just shy of 90 people seated for a delicious feast, many of whom had not been out, except to attend medical appointments, since before the pandemic.
“We are connecting people who would otherwise not cross paths to create a community that care for and support one another."
