Last year we launched The BCHA Community Fund to enable our customers and colleagues to apply for awards of £50, £100 or £250 to develop initiatives that benefit our community, supporting their health and well-being and showcasing the creativity of our customers.
Following its successful launch and genuine impact across our services, we opened round two of The BCHA Community Fund in November 2022 and received many fantastic applications.
The Winning Proposals
- Launching a café at George House in Plymouth - This café will be a social space, designed to introduce people to new opportunities and support services, make friends and eventually join in with their local community
- Create and Connect Art Workshops at George House - Holding a regular art evening would help residents connect with one another while taking part in a mindful activity that can help to relieve stress and combat loneliness
- Setting up a gym at George House - This in-house gym would provide an opportunity for significant physical and mental health benefits for our residents, who would be able to develop routines that contribute to a healthier lifestyle
- BCHA Learn Book Club - This will give learners the opportunity to take books away and spend time reading at their own leisure
We look forward to seeing these projects develop over the coming months, following in the footsteps of the inspirational initiatives that have flourished across the organisation from the first round of the BCHA Community Fund.
The Community Fund Success Stories
The Swanage Community Café for BCHA residents and the wider community has been a resounding success. The cafe has been a trailblazer for co-production, bringing members of the community together in a relaxed, safe environment.
The Domestic Abuse Community Team in BCP will be having a party at the end of its Recovery Toolkit Course, which has successfully helped young people who have been affected by domestic abuse. The course is tailored to break the cycle of abuse by educating kids about healthy relationships, positive lifestyles and coping strategies. The Community Fund will provide a party bag for each child, containing play dough, positive affirmation stickers, a notebook/colouring book, coloured pens/pencils and a medal.
The Gabriel House Woman’s Group has championed the promotion of physical health and well-being through group sessions at Exeter Leisure centre, helping customers to boost their self-esteem and confidence. The group looks forward to including male residents from Gabriel House in these trips to Exeter Leisure Centre in the future.
Millenni-yum! - All customers at Millennium House in Poole will be encouraged to have their say in key decisions about how the service is run – from deciding what meals are cooked, to choosing produce that's grown and harvested in the garden. This will provide a great opportunity for teamwork to build raised vegetable beds, while also giving our customers a ready supply of fruit and vegetables to keep shopping bills down during the cost-of-living crisis.
Thank you to all involved for coming up with such fantastic initiatives for our community and customers. We’re already looking forward to announcing round three of The BCHA Community Fund later this year.
Our Partners
