The Cowshed has been awarded £1,125 funding from Abri for their Noahs Boxes – a kitchen essentials kit for those in need when moving into their own accommodation.
The Cowshed is a crisis charity that provides emergency provision of clothing, bedding, toiletries and other essentials for families in need across Berkshire. The funding from Abri will provide 15 Noahs Boxes.
Sharon Ketley, Trustee at The Cowshed, said: “We are thrilled to have been awarded a grant from Abri's Community Fund! Whilst our core focus is emergency provision of clothing, bedlinen, toiletries, and other essentials, we also provide additional services such as our Noah's Box project - a kitchen essentials kit of over 35 items such as pots, pans, crockery, cutlery and more to support those going into their own accommodation.
“Buying kitchen essentials is a huge cost for those who are already in financial crisis. Each box costs the charity £75 so this grant will help us provide a Noah Box to 15 individuals who otherwise would struggle to afford them. Our work can make a huge difference to our clients, both increasing independence, improving mental health and helping remove some of the stigma of not being able to provide for themselves at times of personal crisis. We'd like to extend our gratitude to Abri, a housing association whose ethos of wanting to support those facing the challenges that poverty brings is so close to our own - thank you!”
The Community Fund is part of Abri’s commitment to empowering lives and creating thriving communities, making them better places to live. Abri is one of the south of England’s largest housing providers and awarded over £65,000 from its Community Fund to support local organisations and projects between April 2021-March 2022.
Applications are decided on by its customer panel – Thriving Communities – made up of customers and those living in its communities. Sarah O’Mara, a member of the Thriving Communities panel, said: “The Noahs Boxes will support residents by giving them all the basic kitchen essentials they need to be able to cook and eat a meal. It removes the financial burden placed on those in need, ensuring they can cook for themselves and their family, improving wellbeing and quality of life.”
Other successful applications for Abri’s Community Fund include:
- £2,957 to The Friendly Food Club in Bournemouth for their ‘meet, cook and eat’ cookery workshops.
- £3,000 to Level Up Gosport to support young people in Gosport learn employability skills through community volunteering.
- £3,000 to The Baby Bank in Windsor for their sleeping and playing safely project, helping families facing financial difficulties.
The Cowshed are very active across communities in Berkshire. “We are always looking for additional fundraising opportunities to help us continues to provide this valued service, so would be extremely grateful for any support in this area - whether it be running a race in our name, holding a bake sale, buying from our Amazon Wishlist or volunteering at one of our centres in Hurst or Reading. Please head over to our website for more details on how you can be involved (www.thecowshed.org) or follow us on social media (@cowshedcharity) for more information.”
Cita Jagot, Communities & Involvement Manager at Abri, said: “We believe the best ideas often come from the people who know and live in our communities. And we’re committed to supporting and investing in our communities. We’re proud of the difference our Community Fund makes, driving change, transforming our communities, providing opportunities, and supporting people during the rising cost of living. It’s what our Community Strategy and five-year £15m investment is all about – empowering communities, improving health and wellbeing, and providing employment opportunities.”
Abri’s Community Fund opens for applications four times a year, and organisations can apply for up to £3,000 to support a project in one of Abri’s communities. The next application window opens on 1 July and closes on 20 September.
You can find out more about The Cowshed at https://www.thecowshed.org/.
Find out more at www.abri.co.uk.