Emergency funding for Merseyside’s VRP awarded to charities working with vulnerable young people

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A group of people around a table

On 22 June, the VRP received a welcome surprise announcement from the Home Office about the allocation of an extra £285,168 to distribute among selected small charities within Merseyside which work with vulnerable young people at risk of being involved in serious violence.

The funding will specifically secure critical frontline services, which have been affected by Covid-19.

With the fast-moving support of the Community Safety Partnerships (CSP) and Charity and Volunteer Services (CVS) – stakeholders in all five boroughs – the VRP has managed to allocate the distribution of these funds to worthwhile Merseyside charities in the short time it had available to identify eligible organisations, each needing to submit a short application.

Organisations that were eligible for funding had to be registered charities, charitable incorporated organisations, or a social enterprise, including companies limited by guarantee and community interest companies. Eligibility rested on annual income being less than £100,000. 

“Thanks to the Home Office, which secured additional, emergency support funding on top of the £750m from the Chancellor for the voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector, I am very pleased to say that 29 small charities in Merseyside have benefited from our extra allocation of £285,168. This will help them to address the immediate pressures created by Covid-19, empowering them to plan and deliver frontline work in their respective sectors,” said Detective Superintendent Andy Ryan who leads Merseyside’s VRP.

 “It was a Home Office stipulation that every charity awarded with emergency funding works with vulnerable young people who are at risk of being involved in serious violence. It is a sector that has experienced a significant reduction in their capacity to deliver frontline services as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown and this much needed uplift will help to address the growing concerns that exist for young people at risk.”

Merseyside’s Police Commissioner Jane Kennedy said: “Small charities are the lifeblood of our communities, doing incredible work often with little or no recognition. Sadly many of them have struggled during the Covid-19 crisis to continue to deliver the vital services they offer, particularly those which work closely with our vulnerable young people.

“That’s why I was delighted to receive this very welcome emergency funding on behalf of Merseyside’s Violence Reduction Partnership (VRP). It will enable the VRP to support 29 micro-charities which have been identified as being on the frontline of this crucial work, supporting vulnerable young people to prevent them from getting caught up in serious violence.

“I am sure each one of these local organisations will maximise every penny in their efforts to help those young people who are most at risk, guiding them towards a brighter future.”

The emergency funding might allow charities to address their financial hardship in the face of COVID-19; increase their supply or service; work with, or commission other partners to help them supply a frontline service; or, adapt services to meet Covid-19 associated measures (in for example, social distancing).

The full list of Merseyside’s recipients can be seen below.

  1. Mandela 8
  2. Anthony Walker Foundation
  3. Kirkdale Community Centre
  4. Somali Womens Group
  5. Lone Day Project Community Interest Company
  6. Yellow House
  7. Liverpool Arabic House
  8. Rice Lane Community Association
  9. Garston Adventure Playground
  10. Merseyside Youth Challenge Trust
  11. The Bridge Community Trust
  12. Liverpool Homeless Football Club
  13. YogaNation Wellbeing Hub CiC
  14. Break The Mould CIC
  15. Carrbridge Centre
  16. Crea8ing Careers
  17. One Day Project Community Interest Company
  18. Paul Lavelle Foundation
  19. Utopia Project CIC
  20. Core Project Birkenhead CIC
  21. Next Chapter (NW) CIC
  22. Friends Play For Disabled Children
  23. KABS (2 projects: 11-19 year olds and 7-16 year olds)
  24. Knowsley Vale ABC
  25. Altru Drama
  26. Halewood Youth in Community Centre
  27. Tyred Rides CIC
  28. Realtalk Wellbeing CIC
  29. Conquer Life CIC