Countrymen recently receive a funding boost curtesy of Hunt’s Food Group community fund, here is their post.
At Hunt’s Food Group, we are passionate about using our business as a force for good. We have been proud to support many local and national charities for many years, and in 2022, we pledged to increase this commitment and donate £150,000 a year to charity.
In 2023, we founded the Hunts Food Group Community Fund, managed by Somerset Community Foundation in partnership with Dorset Community Foundation. Our local Community Foundations have unparalleled knowledge of local charities and the needs in our communities, and they helped us create a strategy for our giving that focuses on three key themes:
Relieving Poverty and Disadvantage: providing vital support and advice for people going through tough times
Improving Mental Health and Wellbeing: ensuring people experiencing mental health issues can access specialist support to help improve their wellbeing and reduce isolation.
Investing in the next generation: giving support, skills and opportunities to help young people overcome challenges and build a brighter future
We’ll invest in charities across Somerset and Dorset, focusing on communities where our team lives and works.
In the summer of 2023, we selected our first charity partners, supporting five charities with grants of over £25,000 each across the next three years. These grants will help the charities plan for the future and invest in their core running costs to support them to continue their fantastic work.
The charities supported are:
St. Peter’s Community Centre, Yeovil, is a community hub providing a range of support, activities, and services to the Westfield community.
Yeovil Opportunity Group provides a specialist preschool for children with disabilities or additional needs and their families.
Escape Line works to prevent child exploitation and provides support to children and families in Dorset and Somerset who are affected by county lines gangs.
Countrymen UK, based in Sherborne, uses a farm environment to provide activities and opportunities for men experiencing social isolation.
Treads, based in Blandford, provide advice and support to help young people to take healthy, safe and confident steps towards adulthood and independence.
How can my charity apply for Hunt’s Food Group Community Fund funding?
The majority of charitable giving is managed by Somerset Community Foundation and Dorset Community Foundation. For smaller donations, sponsorships, or community events you can contact our Company Advisory Group at [email protected].
Charities and community groups who need funding can apply to Somerset Community Foundation’s Main Grants programme or Dorset Community Foundation’s Neighbourhood Fund. This enables charities to be considered to receive funds from over 100 local donors with one simple application, saving time and making fundraising simpler.
You can also call Somerset Community Foundation on 01749 344949 or email [email protected], or call Dorset Community Foundation on 01202 670815 or email [email protected]
Somerset Community Foundation is a registered charity. Charity no: 1094446. Dorset Community Foundation is a registered charity. Charity no. 1122113.