A LEADING housing association has partnered with Hampshire & Isle of Wight Community Foundation (HIWCF) to allocate £125,000 through its ‘We’re All Together’ Campaign to community groups in the area.

VIVID has awarded its final donation in its £125,000 fund for community groups that are helping to support people in need across Hampshire and Berkshire, to include a number of support groups located in Basingstoke, during the coronavirus pandemic – and it has plans to do more to help for the long-term.

Set up in the early stages of lockdown, the total funds from the campaign have been donated to groups and charities that are helping people tackle the devastating effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

In total, 41 organisations accessed the funding, all of which played a vital role in supporting people through a range of local initiatives including providing replacement school meals, a domestic violence helpline, and offering a friendly voice as well as advice to help people feel more secure and less isolated during these unprecedented times.

Michaela Riley, Chairman and Founder of Spotlight UK, one of the Basingstoke based recipients, said: “Local people are experiencing really tough times at the moment, and the grant we received from VIVID and HIWCF has made a huge difference in helping us to supply over 400,000 vital meals since lockdown began, supporting the most vulnerable families whose lives have been severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.”

Following its £125,000 community investment, VIVID’s recently announced a new charitable arm, which aims to provide brighter futures for its customers and local communities. VIVID- will start operating in January 2021 with an initial £21 million to invest in making a long-term impact in the local areas in which it serves.

Jonathan Cowie, chief operating officer at VIVID said: “Coronavirus continues to have a profound impact on many of our communities. As well as supporting our customers, particularly those who are older, self-isolating or facing financial difficulties, we also wanted to help and support the communities in which we work. We’re delighted to have worked with HIWCF to award funding to so many groups in our communities, who have provided support and been a much-needed lifeline to so many during this difficult time. The initiative has been a great success, and as a result of it, a further £2m has been donated from other organisations. It’s made us realise we can do even more to help make a difference which we’re gearing up to start in the new year. We are also exploring other immediate support and funding options to help our communities through the second national lockdown.”

Rebecca Kennelly MBE, chair of trustees at HIWCF said: “It’s at times like these that we are reminded that community really matters and being able to identify and respond quickly to local needs is a key value for the Foundation. We would like to thank the team at VIVID for prioritising those needing help and support across Hampshire and we will continue working to help our local charitable sector to respond well and recover strongly from the impact of this pandemic.”