Donations from the Asda Foundation help bring communities back together in person
Our team of Asda community champions are working closely with local groups and good causes to help them resume their usual activities.
As social distancing measures ease in the UK our corporate charity, the Asda Foundation, is donating money to help reunite communities, celebrate togetherness and support groups as they begin to resume their usual activities in person for the first time since the start of the pandemic.
Our community champions are in regular contact with local groups, charities and good causes and have been able to help them apply for grants of up to £1,000 from the Asda Foundation, before then lending a hand as the groups get together in person for the first time in many months.
Through this new grant, the Asda Foundation has already donated more than £350,000, helping to bring local communities back together again and supporting groups with getting activities back on track.
Here are just some of the groups and good causes receiving donations from the Asda Foundation:
Jules from East Midlands PAN Disability Football League called in at our Long Eaton store to collect a grant for £914 to help with new equipment and kit, and to host a welcome back celebration.
She said: "The team have not been able to take part in any physical meetings since the start of covid and will be starting back up in September. They have all kept in touch through regular Zoom meetings and via social media and can't wait to get back to real life games and matches."
Mavis Maughan, our South Shields store's community champion, presented a grant for £974 to Arts 4 Wellbeing to fund a 'friends reunited' celebration, bringing members and carers back together for the first time in 18 months.
Arts 4 Wellbeing is a community arts and wellbeing service offering therapeutic artistic and creative opportunities for adults with mental health issues, learning disabilities and/or physical disabilities, and those at risk of developing mental health issues or a feeling of isolation. Sessions focus on unlocking the ability of individuals and helping members thrive.
Mavis said: "It’s been a tough 18 months and this celebration will give members a sense of belonging and a look to the future."
June Walker, the community champion at our Donnington Wood store, helped Funky Fridays, which is an inclusive disco for adults with learning disabilities, apply for a grant from the Foundation – and then lent a hand as they met in person for the first time in 18 months:
Our Bolton store's community champion Christine Baldwin presented a grant for £671 to Stand Up Sisters, a women's empowerment and arts organisation led by and for women with mental health issues. She volunteers with the group every week.
Maddie Smith, who runs the group, said: "We are delighted to receive this grant which will enable us to buy a sewing machine and other lovely art materials. This will support the group to make expressive art work and allow us to continue supporting women to find their creative voices and therefore their voice in society. We would like to thank the Asda Foundation for their support."
Hayley Carrington, community champion at our Sutton in Ashfield store, presented Mark Leek from The Military Community Network Group with a grant for £1,000.
She said: "The money will go towards the Military Allotment Project in Kirkby in Ashfield which has been set up to help tackle isolation and loneliness. What a great team!"
The team at Quakers Yard Community Centre in Merthyr Tydfill are holding an afternoon tea for the local community, so Asda community champion Sarah Williams was only too happy to present them with a £500 Asda Foundation grant to support the event:
Here's Mary Williams from our Wrexham store presenting a grant for £990 to Coed Celyn Rehabilitation Unit:
The team from Aden Community Allotments used a grant of £765 presented by Zoe Scarisbrick from our Peterhead store to host an open day and picnic for local families:
And in Cookstown a grant for £966 presented by our community champion Janice Gibson helped The Superstars Club, which supports those facing isolation, loneliness and depression, bring people together for a barbecue:
There were smiles all round at Grey Lodge Settlement when they held a welcome back celebration organised with the help of a £355 grant from the Asda Foundation.
Our Dundee Kirkton store's community champion Samantha Will supports the group and said: "They also used the donation to replace some equipment for their after-school clubs. The celebration included a magician, a juggler and fun games, as well as some lovely food and refreshments. I went along to present the cheque to the children at their party. They were all super happy to be back and really enjoyed the magic tricks."
And here's our Gosforth store's community champion Michelle Castledine presenting a cheque to Gosforth Women's Institute to help the group reunite in person:
Find out more about the Asda Foundation and the grants available to local groups, charities and good causes here.