Sutton textiles business donates share of £18,000 to three charities

The Romo’s Community Fund is a grant program providing much needed funding to charitable organisations or projects.

The three selected charities were Cornwater Evergreens, Ashfield Voluntary Action and Freedom Foundation.

Marijke Drury, management accountant, said: “The decision was to split the fund between three of the charities, collectively managing to support a wide demographic of the local community from children to the elderly.

"Not only did we agree that the work they were doing was so valuable and much needed, but we also believed that they all had the professionalism and the ability to make sure the funds would be used as intended.”

Cornwater Evergreens, which works with the elderly members of the Mansfield, Blidworth, Rainworth and Ravenshead community, including dementia sufferers, organising friendships groups and activities to provide social interaction to those that may feel isolated and lonely, has been awarded £4,500 which will be used to expand their member numbers and the activities they offer in the belief that mental and physical well-being is a crucial factor in keeping the elderly in their own homes for longer.

Ashfield Voluntary Action are a community engagement group who look to improve the lives of residents in deprived/disadvantaged areas by working with them to understand the issues they are facing and give them the help and support needed to make long lasting improvements to their communities.

They were awarded £4,500 which will be used to fund a part time independent community volunteer engagement worker, embedded in the community and independent of the local authorities.

And Freedom Foundation, which has been awarded £9,000, works in the wider Nottinghamshire area with young people experiencing significant mental health issues. It uses the mediums of music, dance and drama they provide various workshops and mentoring programmes along with an online access hub to give young people the support they need whilst teaching them how to deal with their emotions.

The funding will be used to provide a Motivational Morning Project in three Ashfield schools for children identified as most in need of support.