NORTH EAST charities ranging from scout troops to those supporting young people with life limiting diseases have benefited from a donation, courtesy of the Miller Homes Community Fund.
The leading house builder asks charities and good causes to apply each year for a share of £10,000 for a project or activity, with payouts made twice a year – in June and November.
And the latest round of recipients has just been unveiled, supporting worthy causes in Tyne and Wear, Durham and Northumberland.
Eight organisations have all received a donation of between £500 and £1000 to help them continue with their good work.
They include the Washington-based Little Onion Club, which uses gardening activities to bring the community together and to promote sustainability and the Newbiggin Heritage Partnership, which runs the local Newbiggin Maritime Centre.
Other beneficiaries include Durham’s Laurel Avenue Community Association, Ringway Primary School at Choppington and the 2ndHerrington Scout Group HQ from Sunderland.
The latest round of payouts includes a number or health related charities -Newcastle-based FANS (Families1st4Additionalneeds) which supports people and their families dealing with autism and other neurological conditions, Tyneside Women’s Health and The Nicole and Jessica Rich Foundation.
The latter was set up by the parents Newcastle youngers, Nicole and Jessica Rich, who were both diagnosed with the life-limiting Batten Disease.
The family set the charity up to raise awareness and to support research.
The largest payment went to Byker-based organisation, Tyneside Women’s Health to help the group continue the delivery of its Sunday Lunch Group.
The group, which meets fortnightly when other services are closed, provides a “vital space for women who would otherwise be alone on weekends.”
“The main purpose of the group is to reduce social isolation, enabling women to access light touch mental health and peer support. The group ensures that women eat a healthy meal and promotes healthy eating. Women develop their daily living skills by helping to prepare and cook the food, clean and wash up,” said Elaine Slater, Chief Executive of Tyneside Women’s Health.
“The donation from the Miller Homes Community Fund will allow us to continue to provide this vital service.”
Miller Homes – which is delivering new homes as far afield as Chester-le-Street, Corbridge and Bedlington – introduced its regional Community Fund in 2022 to help grassroots projects linked to education, wellbeing, the environment and sport across the North East.
Miller Homes regional managing director, Patrick Arkle, said that he hopes the news of the donations would be well received by the recipients.
“At Miller Homes we are about building communities as well as homes, which is why we set up the Community Fund,” he said.
“We know there are so many good causes across the North East doing really vital work and we are glad to be able to support some of them through this initiative.
“We welcome new applications from any other charity or organisation that would like to put themselves forward for the next round of donations, which will be made in November.”
To make an application to the Miller Homes Community Fund visit www.millerhomes.co.uk/corporate/commuity-fund