CHARITIES

Action 4 Support aims to demonstrate through its community work that "it is not just about money" and the concept of fairness, respect, equality and autonomy are real measures that can form the basis of an alternative currency through time exchanges.

Action 4 Support have been granted £1,500 towards the purchase of litter pickers, garden materials, t-shirts for members, a folding table, plastic boxes, and scaffold boards to assist with completing tasks for others.

AFC Wootton has been granted £500 to go towards their replacement football kit. This mens team have been running for over 10 years and aim to give back to the island community by nominating WightAID as their chosen charity to receive donations raised within their years worth of events.

Ability for Dogs have been granted £10,000 towards purchasing and training a new assistance dog. The charity trains assistance dogs to help young people and children with physical or mental disabilities. This is the only charity on the Island that provides this vital service.

Aspire Creative Hub have been granted £493.08. They run Open Mic music nights for aspiring young bands, rehearsal sessions, one to one workshops for people to explore digital music making and Rob da Bank holds a monthly ‘live lounge’ session for teens to create live mixed music. With their grant they are able to purchase equipment which will create workbenches in part of their space to be used as a continuous surface for repairs, as well as a recording lamp which will prevent visitors interrupting the live set.

Bembridge Men in Sheds have been granted £448. This amount will go towards connecting a water supply to the shed and purchasing small tools which are required. Bembridge Men in Sheds provide a social framework for men in the Bembridge and St Helens area. Men in Sheds offer company, skills, and a safe working facility to anyone over the age of 18, as well as inviting requests for support and contributing to local projects to improve the environment.

Bodster Equine have been granted £1,958.40 towards there project to take Ponies to Care homes to interact with Dementia patients. The charity enables vulnerable, at risk and disadvantaged people to interact with ponies on the ground to help them feel less isolated and develop self-belief and self-confidence.

Brading Town Football Club competes in the IOW Saturday League and IOW Sunday Youth League. They provide the opportunity for children and adults to train and take part in football. They have been granted £1,400 towards building materials, railings and equipment hire to implement wheelchair or mobility access. The club have several volunteers who have worked in the construction industry and therefore happy to undertake this project.

Britten Norman Preservation Society have been granted £2,000 towards their Britten Norman Islander G-AVCN Restoration Project.  The voluntary group preserve and restore historic aircraft for future generations and give talks to a wide variety of organisations on the Island.

Care in the Garden provide opportunities for adults with learning disabilities to be able to work in the community with support, promoting confidence building and important working skills. They have been granted £900 towards purchasing protective clothing, signage for the van and promotion costs to be able to advertise their garden decorator. Care in the Garden have also been granted £5,000 towards the extension of their woodwork area.

Cowes Men in Sheds is a community space where members are welcome to come in and use the the facilities or to simply just have a tea/coffee and a chat. 94% of their members stated that they feel happier since joining, 63% feel fitter since joining and 88% feel their health and well-being have improved. Cowes Men in Sheds have been awarded a further £499.99 towards an electric dust extractor.

Cruse Bereavement is a charity offering support, advice and information to local people and have been awarded £250 plus ferry travel towards two specialist training courses. Once completed, Cruse can provide additional supervisors to support bereavement volunteers. For the second grant £2,000 has been awarded towards a ‘Train the Trainer’ to help to widen the accessibility and sustainability of the local Cruse Bereavement Care support service on the Island. 

First Act 2011 have been granted £3,800 towards the funding of their production ‘The Snow Queen’. First Act 2011 provides theatre workshops for people with learning disabilities. The members meet at Shanklin Theatre weekly and these activities lead to two performances a year. Alongside the theatre workshops they also take their members to St Catherine’s School to make their own props and costumes for the shows.

Donate It Don't Dump It for Free Food in Sandown have been awarded £400 towards a fridge freezer which will complete the storage area and allow for further donations over Christmas. Free Food in Sandown is a community project which collects end of day food and donated food items and distributes it to the homeless in Sandown, Lake and Shanklin areas. 

Established in 2003, Fusion Arts is a dance and music academy. Fusion Arts students range from as young as two years old up to elderly adults, with pupils of all ages coming together each year to sing in their annual show.

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Since last March, Fusion Arts has been unable to use purpose-built studios and therefore needed some portable ballet barres to enable them to dance in other venues on the island. We awarded £500 towards these ballet barres, which will enable students to socially distance while dancing and ensure they are developing their technique correctly. 

Girlguiding Isle of Wight have received a grant of £500. Girlguiding is the leading charity for girls and young women in the UK. Within our Isle of Wight community, we have 1100 attendees at Rainbows, Brownies, Guides, Senior Section and Adult Leaders. Their grant will go towards their new programme packs, enhanced to equip the girls and young women thrive, succeed, make change and be happy in the modern world.

Gurnard Parent and Toddler group is run by parent volunteers who help to bring children, parents, grandparents and carers together in a friendly and fun environment. The playgroup helps to reduce isolation for new parents, providing social interaction and support for parents, both of which can help maintain good maternal mental health, along with supporting socialisation for under 4s. They have been granted £500 towards the hall hire for a year.

Home Start IOW have been granted £1,580 towards their project to work with families who are struggling to cope and are vulnerable through a combination of home visits and group support. They work with families who have issues of mental health, learning difficulties and physical disabilities.

The Isle of Wight Branch of the Motor Neuron Disease Association has been granted £300 towards a series of social events. They run a regular support group for people living with MND. The social events will be aimed at the families of people with MND to provide some respite and the opportunity to openly discuss with others impacted by this disease. 

The Isle of Wight Cricket Board has been granted £250 towards playing kit for the Super 9 Programmes. They run a Table Cricket Programme with a number of schools and organisations. 

Isle of Wight Foodbank have been granted £2,500 towards running the Foodbank van for a year.  The IOW Foodbank consists of a Warehouse, offices, recycling centre and seven foodbank distribution centres.  Clients are referred through a voucher scheme, one voucher entitles the client to 3 days worth of food. Isle of Wight foodbank were also granted £1,000 towards the running costs of their distributing van, aiding to collect and deliver food across the different centres. 

Isle of Wight Island Games Association have been granted £1,500 towards assisting certain competitor’s costs to attend the upcoming 2019 Island games in Gibraltar. The International Island Games provide a unique opportunity for IOW sportsmen and sportswomen to participate in a multi-sport international event, providing a highlighting sporting moment for many young people to experience what it is like to compete at the highest level of their sport.

The IOW Prostate Cancer Support have been granted £1,195 towards purchasing new banners. The IW Prostate Cancer Support want to raise awareness about prostate cancer and the need for early diagnosis and treatment.  Advising men over 50 of the need for a PSA blood test and promoting awareness with partners, families and friends. 

IOW Stroke Club have been granted £1,200 towards a day out to London including going on the London Eye and a River Thames Cruise.  The IOW Stroke Club is run by Stroke Survivors to provide relief for persons who have suffered a Stroke, and their Carers, by providing facilities for recreational and leisure activities, equipment and support when required, in order to improve their conditions of life.

The Youth Trust have been granted £3,300 to purchase 6 Hybrid Laptops. The laptops will assist the Counsellors to capture more data and reduce the amount of paper documentation. The laptops will also enable the Counsellors to have remote access so they will be able to use them to visit clients in their own homes. Isle of Wight Youth Trust were also granted £2,750 which will go towards purchasing sensory, creative and communication materials to support their clients with additional needs.

Isle Access have been granted £2,160 to purchase an adapted tricycle. Isle Access are in the process of establishing a permanent accessible cycling facility on the Island. The adapted bikes will be available to hire individually or as a group. A 2nd grant of £2,000 was awarded to assist in marketing their services at different island events.

The Isle of Wight Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus support individuals and their families with practical advice and help with equipment and essential needs for those who are affected by these conditions. WightAID have granted £1,000 towards their inclusive family day out at Tapnell Farm where they shall be expecting over 50 attendees! This provides the opportunity for family members to spend a day out together, which can often prove challenging due to various complications when living with Spina Bifida or Hydrocephalus.

IOW Pony Driving for the Disabled have been granted £3,300 towards two electric bicycles to accompany the disabled carriages. The charity enables disabled people the chance of being able to drive a pony and carriage, in the beautiful grounds of Osbourne House.

John Cattle Skate Club aim to provide quality professional skateboarding opportunities to all ages and abilities. They have been awarded £3,250 towards the materials and equipment required to refresh the ramps, obstacles and safety equipment required for the attendees.

Magpie Arts has been granted £500 towards purchasing a laptop and accessories. This will be used by attendees to research different artists and movements to generate ideas on expressing themselves through a form of art, assisting to improve mental health. Another grant they received was £500 towards art materials for their art courses. They also received a grant of £1,000 towards materials required for the upcoming Arts & Words activity days taking place once a week. 

Medina Marching Band have been granted £2,485.50 towards the purchase of musical instruments. The MMB offers children and their families regardless of possible learning difficulties or low income the opportunity to become involved. Beginners and experienced musicians are encouraged to learn and improve their skills together.

Music Craft is a community music hub that aims to make music affordable and accessible to all. To help fund workshops and events that include song-writing, music history, and special needs music education, the organisation holds regular concerts across the island. 

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WightAID awarded £500 towards paint to refurbish the centre, which includes teaching rooms, rehearsal rooms, an instrument repair workshop, a recording studio, and communal space for social events and activities.

Niton Community Football Club has been granted £500 towards a second hand ride-on mower. This will help them get back to their home ground and help keep costs down as they will not have to pay for the ground to be cut.

Northwood House Charitable Trust is a charity set up to maintain the Grade II house and community park. Previously, WightAID granted the trust £2,443 to cover the purchase of four wheelchairs, and a further £500 to purchase some gardening equipment for volunteers. In 2020, we awarded a further £279 towards the purchase of a hedge trimmer, hedge pole trimmer and lawn trimmer; all battery powered to help the aging gardening volunteers.

£350 has been granted to Pat A Happy Pony who aim to bring smiles to people who have life changing disabilities, as well as introducing children to the care, respect and handling of animals. Their grant will be used to purchase 8 Cavallo over boots which the ponies shall where when visiting different settings to prevent them from slipping. They were also granted £300 towards costs of manure catching bags and harnesses, which will enable them to go in to care homes and indoor environments where further individuals can take part in activities.

The Phoenix Project IOW have been granted £4,500 towards purchasing a Minibus.  They have also been granted £2,250 towards Sensory Equipment and XL bean bags. The Phoenix Project supports people over the age of 18 whose ability to live an independent and fulfilling life is restricted by a learning disability.  The centre provides care which meets the social, emotional, psychological and medical needs of those with moderate to severe learning disabilities. 

Revive Newport is a drop-in youth café that has been open in Newport for nearly 40 years and was set up to reach out to the young people who gather on the streets of Newport. Through the youth café they have helped hundreds of young people to improve their lives and reduce crime levels by working with a multi agency team. They have been granted £4,000 towards volunteer training, youth activities and equipment for the youth cafe.

The Rob Hill Foundation is a small national charity which aims to help people to beat addiction, as well as empowering them to deal effectively with anxiety, stress, and depression. The foundation offers free workshops to help people overcome alcohol, drugs and other addictions, as well as helping with mental health problems. 

WightAID awarded £500 towards a weekly addiction workshop at Aspire Ryde every Thursday.

Ryde Rowing Club provide facilities for rowing, as well as supporting adaptive rowing and facilitate young people with downs syndrome. They encourage participators to foster good sportsmanship and enjoy the activities and events. Ryde Rowing Club have been awarded £2,500, to go towards the commission construction of a mould to build costal fours. This in turn will allow the club to move forward with their new boat to be built, gaining royalties in order to become sustainable.

Ryde Sea Cadets have been granted £2,500 towards purchasing a Box Trailer to transport their band equipment and other kit.  The Sea Cadets provides a safe and secure environment where young people can better themselves and learn new skills.  The cadets also get the opportunity to gain sailing qualifications, first aid, and other skills. The Cadet band plays at numerous public events. 

Sassy IOW CIC  has been awarded £500 towards sewing equipment. Sassy IOW CIC works towards connecting people through film and creativity. They run a make do and mend session one evening a week with the aim of skill sharing and developing a sense of community.

Shademakers create high quality carnival art and outdoor performance pieces.  They, along with their volunteers put on events, work with schools and the community.  They have been granted £2,750 towards the costs of Hullabaloo, an event which will bring quality arts, heritage and science content to audiences.

SWAY (South Wight Area Youth Partnership) is a charity that was founded in 2014 and serves the young people of South Wight. Providing activities that encourage personal growth and healthy relationships, SWAY also provides support to the families of the young people in the area.

WightAID previously granted £694 towards a residential trip to the Lake District, along with £285 towards ferry travel. More recently, we awarded £1,052 towards the hire of two minibuses for another residential trip.

St Marks Church PCC have been granted £2,000 towards their 'Wrap up the Barn' project. This involves a whole refurbishment of the community building which will allow for a fully renewed electrical supply, windows, insulation, guttering and heaters to be installed, making the overall building fit for purpose. This community space currently holds an indoor skatepark with individuals attending weekly to partake in the club, as well as holding a community coffee lounge which is open for individuals and local groups to hire.

Storeroom 2010 have been granted £5,000 towards the running of education courses for the unemployed to help them attain employment.  The charity already supplies donated furniture at a minimal cost to people in need; the Storeroom is about 2nd chances for people.

The Blue Lamp Trust have been granted £4,000 towards the purchase of a transit connect van for safe and secure home visits for the vulnerable. The Blue Lamp Trust was established to provide practical help and support to the elderly and vulnerable living in our community. They work with referrals from the police, fire service, local authorities, other charities to carry out a full home safety and security survey. They were then given a second grant of £450 to go towards 2,000 leaflets for the Isle of Wight residents to promote their free services.

The Footprint Trust Charity complete free of charge home visits to consider the major impacts of energy use in the home and give guidance on reduction of energy and water use. Some households require new white goods due to the current model being inefficient or potentially dangerous. WightAID have granted £1,000 to The Footprint Trust to purchase five white good items which shall be required within a household as a result of a home visit. They were also given a second grant of £500 to go towards running out the pilot of 'Real Meal Deal Project'.

Ryde Methodist Church holds many community groups where 800 weekly attendees use the church and its hall. They have done fundraising in order to install a professional projection equipment in to the community hall to start a film club.

WightAID have granted £1,550 to allow them to purchase black out blinds for the community hall to ensure the free group can take place all throughout the year.

The Steve Ross Foundation is based at Quay Arts.  Its purpose are the fostering and development, practice and understanding for the education of the public arts, creative practice and their presentation and development. They are holding a Young Quay programme which will involve sessions around art activities and information sharing/talks. Twelve participants will be chosen across the Island aged 14-17yrs, who will aim to complete their Bronze Arts Award. £2,000 has been granted towards room hire, materials and gallery visits as part of the project.

The Wight Brainy Bunch has been granted £2,495. This will enhance the quality of life for a young lady by covering the purchase of a wheelchair power pack as well as redecoration of her garden to create wheelchair access and a relaxing environment for herself and her family. Through this renovation the young lady will be able to leave her home gaining independence and manoeuvring confidently without the continuous assistance of her mum.

Upper Ventnor Community Association have been awarded £3,000 to provide and fit a new kitchen within St Margarets Hall. This allows a safe and hygienic space for all the users of the hall to offer refreshments and implement cookery activities.

Vectis Radio have been granted £3,034 towards purchasing a Transmitter and a Signal Processor. They provide training opportunities for people with learning difficulty, disabilities and other social issues to improve communication skills, confidence and self-esteem by means of radio broadcasting. Vectis Radio were also given £1,000 towards upgrading their studio. This grant went towards their new Radio Broadcast Mixer and purchase 3x Procaster Dynamic Microphones, a Studio Arm and Shockmount. They were also granted £300 towards promotional Car Stickers.

Sensory Swim have been granted £2,808 towards their project with Waterside Pool.  They provide swimming lessons to all children on the Island who have autism, sensory and learning disabilities. They were also given a second grant of £1,500 to continue providing swimming lessons to children.

Wednesday Films has been granted £500 to assist with the costs involved in creating their film Crisis or Awakening. This showing will focus on mental health reform within our island community, aiming to guide and inspire individuals within their recovery. This grant also includes costs of brochures which can be distributed, accompanying the film so viewers can take the information home with them. The film will be accessible for those who also care for individuals with mental health.

West Wight Men in Sheds are based at Totland Recreation Ground and is an opportunity for like-minded people to collaborate together in sharing skills and knowledge. WightAID has granted West Wight Men in Sheds £2,000 towards further tools required to complete their shed. The Men in Sheds set up has been instrumental in promoting individuals to gain a renewed sense of purpose and belonging, this helps to reduce isolation, loneliness and health challenges especially for those within their retirement.

West Wight Sports and Community Centre have been granted £10,000 to fund a project to support vulnerable adults to learn new skills in a catering environment. The centre already provides a range of activities and service that help support the physical, psychological and emotional wellbeing of the community.

Wetwheels Solent provides barrier-free opportunities for disabled people to access the water onboard a specially built accessible powerboat catamaran. 

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WightAID awarded £3,000 towards their Wight Maritime Adventures for 144 people. This activity will provide an opportunity for disabled people to enjoy the water as active participants, helping to steer the vessel and learn seamanship. 

Wight Diamonds Marching Band  have been granted £500 towards van hire to allow them to attend the Kingston Borough Bands in May 2020. This is a non-competitive tattoo where a number of bands demonstrate their marching and playing skills to each other and to an audience open to members of the public. This event allows the band members to enjoy a new experience, gain new skills and build friendships with others who have similar interests to their own. 

Wight Nature Fund have been granted £3,400 towards their project to extend the present board walk at Alverstone Mead nature reserve. Wight Nature Funds volunteer committee members over see five nature reserves across the Isle of Wight.

Wight to be Happy organise a free, one day event – Festival of the Mind, which is open to all residents of the Isle of Wight.

The event brings together a range of activities to create a sense of connection and community spirit, boosting the self-esteem and confidence of residents post COVID-19. To date, WightAID granted £1,050 towards the Isle of Wight Festival of the Mind. 

Xtreme Explorer Scout unit have granted £2,000 towards the cost for their trip to the North York Moors for their Duke of Edinburgh award. The Xtreme Explorer Scout Unit was set up roughly 10 years ago alongside The Scout Association which was founded in 1908. The group is open to all 14-18 year olds.

YMCA Lodge provides housing and support for homeless mothers aged 16-25. They have been granted £1,731.99 to cover the costs of replacement items and utilities within their kitchen, to support mothers in cooking, cleaning and appropriate food storage. The residents take part in the 'Four Step Housing Programme' which helps them with life skills, parenting, housing, budgeting and general health and well-being.

Adlib Theatre Company IOW have been producing a range of summer outdoor theatre productions on the Island for over 20 years. They provide an opportunity for a wide range of individual talent to be involved with theatre productions both in front of an audience as well as learning a range of back stage skills. WightAID have granted £750 to Adlib to purchase a portable PA System which will enable the Theatre Company to provide good quality sound to the indoor and outdoor audience.

Age UK Isle of Wight have been granted £1,600 towards their re-launch of Active Networks Social Clubs, which provide free transport and a programme of themed events and outings. Age UK works with, and for, all older people living on the Island, maintaining independence, reducing loneliness and isolation and keeping well. Age UK were also granted £490 towards the very first Shed Fest event on 9th July 2019.  As well as getting a grant for £1,170 to cover 6 months of hall hire for the weekly Community Memory Group held in Lake.

Arreton Cricket Club have been granted £2,500 towards their new John Deere Mower. With the previous mower taking 5-6 hours to complete one cut, they are now able to cut the grounds in just a speedy 2 hours! They have also been awarded £250 towards kit and equipment for the new junior cricket team. The cricket club provides playing facilities for all age groups and allow the IOW Disabled cricket team and the local schools to use the ground for free.

Aspire Ryde & The Bus Shelter have been granted £10,000 to purchase a minibus.  The vehicle will be used to transport people in need of accommodation to the centre in Carisbrooke and will assist in alleviating isolation of older people who cannot access services due to parking or transportation. The minibus will also be used to collect waste food each day and redistribute to people and organisations in need. 

Blackberry Lane Pre-School and Nursery is a registered charity which offers specialised care for babies and toddlers.

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The pre-school uses an online learning journal to communicate with families, sending photos and videos to parents to reassure them that their children are happy and settled. Time - and children - have taken their toll on the devices which were previously donated by a local company. WightAID granted £500 towards reconditioned tablets and phones to replace the original devices.

Brading Community Partnership have been granted £1,500 towards purchasing furniture and maps. BCP provides a hub for the community and has been running a successful youth club for more than 40 years, catering for roughly 140 children aged 8-18. The IOW Council has recently cut funding for the Youth Club and therefore BCP has now formed as a Charity.  

Break the Cycle provide a Mind The Gap course and has been granted in total £4,082 to cover the costs of regularly running this course which is free for participants. This course is for victims of violent and abusive relationships and will help provide post relationship esteem and confidence building. 

The Calbourne Recreation Centre has been granted £500 towards finishing the refurbishment of the whole centre making it fresh and bright. This is open to the community where they have facilities for recreation and other leisure interests aiming to improve social welfare and conditions of life. This recreation centre is particularly a provision for those who live in Calbourne.

Carers IW have been supporting unpaid carers across the Island for over 4 years and can offer relaxation days, training, support groups, assessments, one-to-one emotional support and more to the ever growing population who find themselves in a carers role. Carers IW have been granted £2,000 towards new furniture and equipment for their premises based at the Riverside Centre, Newport where they aim to provide a friendly and responsive environment for Carers to drop in and seek support and advise which is treated on an individual basis.

Cowes Sailability Club is a charity that offers sailing and recreational boating opportunities for adults and children with physical disabilities, additional learning needs and debilitating long-term conditions. In 2017, WightAID awarded £2,460.35 towards the charity's new boat: Dougal II. Since, a third grant of £2,000 was awarded towards a replacement Safety Patrol boat. £2,825 was granted towards a Wet Wheel Hamble which carries up to 12 people including wheelchair access and secondary helm. In 2020, WightAID awarded £2500 towards the hire of charter boats.

Daisy Chains received £500 towards equipment which is required within their newly replaced pop up marquee. In addition Trustees granted £1,000 worth of travel tickets via Hovertravel and Wightlink to assist children and their families when attending mainland appointments. For a second grant Daisy Chains were given £500 towards their upcoming Festival of Heroes event where children can meet with their favourite book or film characters and enjoy an affordable day out for all the family.

Friends of St Thomas’ Association (FOSTA) have been granted £500 towards a Weather Station and Software. This shall be linked to the schools computers and website in which will enhance the children’s experiences and skills towards the geography and science curriculum.  

Friends of Binstead Primary is a charity which was set up to fundraise for additional items to enhance the wellbeing and enjoyment of the children attending Binstead Primary School.

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Since COVID-19, children have been unable to share playground equipment at break times due to the bubble system. We awarded £450 towards outdoor equipment, allowing pupils to use their break times to improve their ball skills, learn through creative play and team game, and - most importantly - have fun!

Gift to Nature promotes the conservation, protection and improvement of the physical and natural environment of the Isle of Wight. They have been granted £3,462 towards installation of signage to create awareness on the Gift to Nature sites. 

1st Godshill & Rookley Scouts have been granted £8x,000 towards refurbishing their Community Kitchen. This will allow additional cookery activities to take place within a safer, more hygienic catering environment for all hall users, as well as making the kitchen accessible to wheelchair users.

The Historic Ryde Society have been granted £2,800 towards purchasing furniture, electronics and information boards.  Historic Ryde Society (HRS) promotes the history of Ryde and its people. With the money granted to them by Wight AID they are aiming to be able to put on display, the hundreds of items that are currently in storage and to improve the security of the artefacts that they hold.

Independent Arts delivers art activities for wellbeing, designed to encourage independent living amongst socially isolated residents.

WightAID granted £8,450 to fund creative writing workshops for young people and care home residents.  Independent Arts achieved brilliant results in running their Anxiety Café and we therefore granted a further £4,364 to help continue the running of this service. Recently, WightAID awarded £3,000 towards an exhibition of lockdown creations called "Looking out from Lockdown".

The World Ship Society has been granted £950 towards the purchase of a new laptop. The World Ship Society is a common interest group for anyone with an interest in shipping or maritime matters. Its activities range from local monthly meetings presenting lectures and demonstrations to assisting with research for authors and historians.

The Isle of Wight Dance and Figure Skating Club is a voluntary sports group that provides the opportunity for island residents to continue to ice skate despite having no home rink. They organise weekly skating on the mainland and 'off ice' training weekly on the island.

The skaters work incredibly hard with the aim of representing the Isle of Wight at national and international competitions. In order to continue, the group needs to be able to hire larger competition-sized rinks, which we were able to award £500 towards.

Isle of Wight Children in Care and Care Leavers have been awarded £500. This will cover the costs of presents at their Christmas Party. Gifts will be specific to each child, taking in to consideration their age, interests, educational or sensory needs. The Children in Care and Care Leavers team provide Statutory Health Assessments and work closely in partnership with other Health, Social Care and Education to help Children in care remain healthy both physically and emotionally.

The IOW Pony Club has been granted £3,000 towards the cost of renovating their pavilion. These facilities are for the use of attendees at the club but are also available to all other charities or voluntary community groups who require facilities at no additional cost. 

Isle of Wight Search & Rescue have been granted £500 towards two bikes that will be used during live and training searches to provide rapid access for a variety of functions. The Isle of Wight Search & Rescue support Hampshire Constabulary with lifesaving searches for vulnerable missing people.

IOW Literary Festival promote the arts for the public benefit, in particular the art of literature. They hold a Youth Zone Weekend event which is a dedicated to those aged 4-18yrs at Northwood House. IWLF have been granted a £1,000 towards the decoration of the venue and printing of banners and flyers.

Wave Trust is a national charity with the goal of reducing child abuse, neglect, and children witnessing domestic violence by 70% by 2030 - the 70/30 project.

On the Isle of Wight, we are at an extra disadvantage due to the significant number of families that are living in some sort of poverty. WightAID awarded £300 to purchase t-shirts and product leaflets that will help to spread awareness of the 70/30 campaign throughout the community.

IOW Pride have been granted £1,500 towards their annual Pride event on the 15th July 2017.  The day will commence with a parade, which will end at the Pride Village and Pride Arena.  The village will contain stalls for traders, caterers, health and wellbeing information, charities, children’s area and much more.

IOW Ice Dance and Figure Skating Club have been granted £500 to help towards hiring Ice Rinks on the mainland after the closure of the Ice Rink in Ryde. IOW Ice and Dance Figure Skating were also awarded £2,000 towards their upcoming competition fees. WightAID's Trustees also wanted to ensure costs for the travel to get to and from the competitions shall be donated.

Jigsaw Family Support were granted £8,000, a second grant of £2,500, and a third grant of £3,600 towards their ‘Managing Family Separation’ project, which includes supervised/supported child contact sessions for fifteen families.

Jigsaw Family Support are a registered Children’s Contact Centre on the Isle of Wight providing support to families following separation. The centre offers Child Contact Arrangements and handovers, along with parental support.

Lanesend Primary School have been granted £250 plus their travel towards their Junior Rock Challenge! The grant will help to create scenery, costumes and team t-shirts for 120 children who are involved in this performance. Lanesend are re-creating The Wizard of Oz, with a twist - 'You don’t have to wear a badge to be brave'.

Medina House School have been granted £2,833 to provide music therapy sessions for the Autumn Term delivered by Nordoff Robins. A therapist visits the school for a full day once a week and implements music activities for the young school members. The classes enable the children to develop communication skills through expression, interaction and collaboration which is as important for non-verbal children as any child.

Medina Valley Centre have been granted £3,000 towards the purchase of two second hand Beneteau First Class 8’s to provide Keelboat sailings. Medina Valley Centre is an outdoor and field’s studies Centre providing outdoor activity residential, GCSE and A Level field work courses as well as primary day trips, activity evenings and various other events. 

Neurodiversity is a term used to describe a group of developmental neurological disabilities including autism, ADHD, dyslexia and learning disabilities. This organisation are planning a conference to further understand and train individuals, carers and professionals who are directly impacted by a neurological disability.  They have been granted £750 to cover the costs of programmes, stationery and sashes for the volunteers.

Niton Preschool have been awarded £3,000 towards the repairs of their building. This project will retain the service provided in Niton Village for children aged one to five years. Niton preschool have been providing childcare since 1994, signposting and supporting families in the community and offering an extended service to school children within half terms.

Osel Enterprise have been granted £4,540 towards purchasing a minibus. This will help to provide a pick up and drop off service for users that attend 'The Way Forward' inclusion programme for adults with learning disabilities.

People Matter IW have been granted £3,950 towards their ‘Autism Inclusion Matters’ project.  This will provide social groups and activities for adults with autism.  People Matter IW supports people with disabilities in the community by providing support groups, advice, equipment, resources and assists in recruiting Personal Assistants.

Planet Aware CIC provides information and advice on reducing resource use. In 2019 the organisation’s focus turned to events and festivals on the Isle of Wight with the aim of developing a responsible event service. The Planet Aware Eco-Hub has been granted £250 towards purchasing an enclosed portable premises and to produce some durable information boards as well as running some activities at future events.

Royal Isle of Wight County Show have been granted £500 to cover the travel costs for 24 Primary Schools to attend the 'mini' educational show on 22nd May. The Royal IOW County Show aims to encourage children to develop an interest in what we grow and produce here on the Island. Stalls will be set up, animals bought along, machines and produce as well as a story telling activity about the countryside, woodland play and talks from local farmers.

Ryde Rotary has been granted £500 towards the 2016 Youth Speaks Competition. The Rotary support a large variety of good local causes.

Ryde Saints FC is a community-based football club. This popular island community group is made up of nine teams competing in youth and adult leagues which involve both men and women.

The ‘IOW Club of the Year 2017’ now aims to create a safe playing field for children and families at Salters Field. Ryde Saints FC has been awarded a total of £2,462.54 towards the rejuvenation project of Salters Field, and were recently awarded £500 towards a brand new football kit for their under seven's team. 

Sandown Rotary Club are granted £1,335 to cover the cost for 178 children to attend a fun day out at Robin Hill.

The Saturday Club for Deaf Children has been awarded £3,000 towards renewing their minibus. The club is a well established part of the Deaf Community on the island, giving the deaf children a wider outlook on life; the opportunity to socialise with other local deaf children; an increase in self confidence and an ability to practice their developing communication skills. They actively focus on the social inclusion of their members and combat loneliness and isolation.

As part of WightAID’s launch in 2016 1st Shanklin Scout Group were awarded £500 towards upcoming project costs.

Swim the Wight promotes and enables the health of outdoor swimming for everyone, regardless of physical or learning difficulties, mental health, age, or ability.

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They offer support to anyone who wishes to swim in the sea safely, in particular those with physical or learning disabilities, long-term health conditions, and those with mental health issues. 

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WightAID awarded £500 towards equipment for cold water swimming.

St Boniface PCC provides food, physical, and spiritual support to the community. The organisation has an outreach programme to support the elderly and disabled, which includes visiting with food, delivering pharmaceuticals, or just popping in for a chat. 

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We awarded £1,800 towards three defribrillator boxes.

Suicide Prevention & Intervention IOW has been granted £3,151 to purchase vital equipment required when attending a search and rescue, such as a thermal imaging camera, torches, a radio system and an IPAD to maintain communications. They work within a multi agency team to ensure different specialist work together in times of crisis, offering also a 48 hour follow up to those who have had contact with the front line team. They were granted a further £1,000 towards a response vehicle.

As part of WightAID’s launch in 2016 The Bus Shelter were awarded £500 towards upcoming project costs.

The Getaway Foundation is a registered charity which helps families and children in poverty to take holidays. During 2020, they also provided Isle of Wight children in poverty with web devices, and young carers with bikes.

The foundation gives families an opportunity to create happy memories and provides a change of environment that can be a relief from challenging times. 

WightAID has awarded £8,200 towards Isle of Wight family holidays.

£480 has been granted to The Rainbow Club to host their Christmas party. 50-60 children shall be attending the event, alongside their families. Play workers shall be on hand to support the children engage in activities which have been arranged to suit their individual sensory needs. They were also given £479 due to requiring a new laptop to further promote and advertise their services, to ensure support was accessible to all. The Rainbow Club has also received £1,750 towards their new shed to keep all their toys and equipment.

The Wave Project have been granted £5,000 to provide surf courses and therapy to young people at risk of mental illness, social isolation or with physical disabilities.  They take vulnerable young people on a six week surfing course to improve their well-being then they help run a surf club to allow therapy to become long term. 

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The Wave Project have also been granted £2,000 towards the Surf Club Sessions for young people.

UKSA have been granted £7,752 towards their ‘Test the Water’ programme.  This will enable all IOW Year 6 students to participate in a half day watersports session which helps develop confidence and self-belief. Activities will include Sailing rafts, learning how to build a boat and sailing around obstacles

Vectis Astronomical Society has been awarded £1,000 towards TVs to go on the visual wall which is made up of multiple wall mounted monitors to provide an educational centre point to all visitors. Vectis Astronomical Society gives access to telescopes and resources at the observatory, educating and inspiring people of all ages especially the young.

Waterside Pool is a community-run leisure facility with the aim of promoting health and wellbeing to the whole community.

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Waterside Pool provides swimming lessons to schools and groups, alongside private and adult lessons. We have awarded £3,669.14 towards a marquee and equipment that will provide a suitable and cost-effective space to deliver training, hold meetings, or for community groups to use. 

Waterside Community Trust have been granted £1,879 to carry out their Beach Rookies project. This will allow children between the ages of 8 and 12 to develop water safety awareness and skills, which enable them an opportunity of becoming a qualified lifeguard when turning 16. Overall this project aims to develop and inspire young children as well as contributing to overall beach safety.

Wessex Cancer Trust IW have been awarded £500 to put towards furniture for the new Isle of Wight Cancer Support Centre. The support centre will continue to be open to anyone affected by a cancer diagnosis, regardless of age, stage or type of cancer. Friends and families are also welcomed to access the free support and services

West Wight Nursery have been granted £4,000 towards their 2019 Great Outdoors Project. With the already amazing features and outdoor space, this grant will enable the nursery to enhance the activities and outdoor experiences that they can provide for not only the children but also the whole community. This shall range from creating allotment spaces and fresh produce areas, to putting in place squirrel and hedgehog homes.

West Wight Timebank have been granted £2,070.32 towards their additional services for Timebank users. West Wight Timebank is a credit generating charity that allows credits to be given to volunteers and those credits can then be spent on help that they need, saved to spend on something at a later date, or given to another member. 

Wight Community Access have been granted £2,000 to purchase a second hand FYT bus run by volunteers. This will provide community transport for those in need of this service due to age, illness, disability or requirement for adequate and safe transport, helping also to provide an extended service to the elderly of West Wight and the Alzheimer’s Cafe for day trips.

Wight Dolphins have been granted £1,300.00 towards the purchase of six Scuba Sets, jackets, regulators and gauges. They provide training, diving opportunities and social events for club members, as well as providing ‘try dives’ for members of the public and other local organisations such as youth groups and scout groups.  Wight Dolphins also support other charitable organisations, through the use of a club boat as safety cover for cross Solent swims and other water-based events.

WightSAR is a local registered charity which is completely run by volunteers. Available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, the charity supports Hampshire Constabulary with life-saving searches for vulnerable missing people - such as children, people with mental health problems or learning disabilities, or those at risk of harming themselves.

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We awarded £500 towards Wi-Fi setup for the WightSAR Incident Control Vehicle.

Wighthorse CIC have been granted £876 to cover the cost of a Mounting Block ready for the Disabled Access Day on Saturday March 16th. Wighthorse provide accessible horse riding facilities for disabled children and adults and are part of the Riding for Disabled Network. Their centre allows people to care for and access the sport of riding, providing a therapeutic activity to those who live with disabilities aswell as being part of an inclusive and safe experience.

Yellow Door have been granted £10,000 to offer therapeutic support for residents who have experienced sexual violence, abuse or rape. The charity also raises awareness by visiting schools and youth centres.

YMCA Young Carers have been granted £2,750.00 towards respite activities for young carers. YMCA Young carers support young people aged 5–18 who have a caring responsibility to a family member in the home due to poor physical/mental health or alcohol/substance misuse. YMCA offers 1:1 support for the young person and signpost all family members to other support services which may benefit them.