Hall & Woodhouse’s Community Chest returns with £50k fund for local charities

The independent family-owned brewer, Hall & Woodhouse (H&W), has launched its 22nd Community Chest Awards with applications now open for charitable organisations across Dorset to seek support from the pledged £50,000 fund.

The Community Chest is accessible to a broad range of charities and community projects, from local village halls and cultural organisations, to charities that assist with poverty, social isolation, and specialist health needs.

Entrants have until Saturday, July 15 to submit their grant applications for £300£3,000 which can be used on a wide variety of initiatives including educational activities, assisting charities with running costs, and increasing the reach of charitable activities.

Mark Woodhouse, Family Director of Hall & Woodhouse, said: “Hall & Woodhouse’s company purpose is to enrich our local communities and I hope that the Community Chest will once again play an important role in supporting the many great voluntary organisations in our trading area across the south. It’s a privilege to support charities and the vital projects that make such a difference to their local communities.

“This year, we look forward to learning about all the amazing work being done in our trading area to improve living conditions for people in need.”

Since the Community Chest was established in 2002, Hall & Woodhouse has donated over £750,000 to more than 900 good causes across its trade area and works in partnership with Sussex Community Foundations.

One of last year’s successful applicants was Hope Housing, Training & Support which was provided with a £3,000 grant for its services to support homeless, vulnerable adults in Bournemouth and Poole.

The funding provided by Hall & Woodhouse will be specifically put towards

Dragon Star lends her voice to South Western Railway’s station announcements

appointing a Mental Health and Wellbeing Officer, who will be able to identify ways of helping people struggling to access advice and guidance.

This year’s successful applicants will be notified of the outcome of their application in November 2023, with an awards ceremony held in January 2024.

The application form can be downloaded via www.hallwoodhouse.co.uk/communitychest and then emailed before 15 July to communitychest@ hall-woodhouse.co.uk for consideration.

Dragons’ Den star Deborah Meaden’s voice was heard in South Western Railway (SWR) station announcements throughout June as the investor and environmental campaigner teamed up with the train operator to back the Save Our Wild Isles campaign.

“Supporting the Save Our Wild Isles campaign is so important which is why I am pleased to see that South Western

Railway is leading the way for rail in supporting nature and responding to the biodiversity crisis by pledging to become Biodiversity Net Positive by 2030 and also the first rail operator in the UK to sign the Nature Positive Business Pledge.” said the business leader and entrepreneur. The campaign, launched by the RSPB, WWF and the National Trust this year, calls for an immediate halt to the destruction of UK nature and urgent action for nature recovery, while urging companies to commit to plans to become ‘nature positive’. To be nature positive means halting and reversing nature decline by restoring wildlife and having an overall positive impact on nature. SWR support the Save Our Wild Isles campaign, it is also the first train operator in the UK to sign up to the Nature Positive Business Pledge.

As one of the country’s largest train operating companies, serving customers across London and the South West, the SWR network is home to a wide range of animal and plant species which it aims to protect and help flourish.

During the last 12 months, SWR has converted the equivalent of three football pitches into biodiversity gardens with the RSPB. It has also planted 15 wildflower meadows and introduced over 40 homes for insects and birds.