Sporting groups feature heavily among local good causes who will receive a grant from the Isle of Wight Foundation this year.
The Foundation – the trust jointly funded by Ringway Island Roads, Meridiam, VINCI Concessions and Island Roads Services who together make up the partnership behind Island Roads – is this year awarding more than £72,000 to local groups in support of projects to tackle social exclusion and promote training and education.
It is the fourth year the Foundation has awarded grants to local good cause and so far over a quarter of a million pounds has been donated.
This year’s recipients are:, Isle of Wight Beach Soccer, Wight Horse Equine, St Catherine’s Speech and Language, Porchfield and Newtown Village Hall, Age UK Isle of Wight, The Bus Shelter, The Monday Group and The Wave Project.
Isle of Wight Foundation chairman Philip Horton said: “The projects we are supporting this year between them offer a wide range of activities to enrich the lives of those within a very broad section of the Island community. We are delighted to be assisting such a selection of innovative, inclusive and beneficial projects.
“Island Roads employs around 200 Island residents and its staff share our determination to make a real difference. Under the Foundation grant scheme, an employee is made a ‘sponsor’ of the award so there is always a direct link between Island Roads, and those that we are assisting through the Foundation’s grant scheme.”
Ian Ward, IW Council cabinet member responsible for the Highway PFI, said: “The significant sums of money donated by the Foundation over the past four years have provided a tremendous boost to around 35 local groups, organisations and projects and hundreds of people who benefit from, or use, these initiatives.
“The Highways PFI clearly brings with it infrastructure and economic benefits and through the Isle of Wight Foundation it’s clear that it is also bringing tangible social impacts as well.”
The successful groups are listed below along with an outline of how the Foundation grant will be put to use.
Age UK, Isle of Wight will receive for its ‘Rally Round’ project to help tackle exclusion by giving computer access and training to the over 50s. The Foundation grant of over £15,000 will provide training and equipment to support the project.
IW Beach Soccer Association will receive over £3,600 for new goals. This will encourage participation in a sport that also encourages healthy, active and responsible living.
Wight Horse Equine – Assisted Learning. The Foundation will donate over £13,000 to support a new independent riding school at the Island Riding Centre and Livery Yard in Staplers Road, Newport. The project provides riding tuition, stable management, horse-care, training and equine-assisted learning for children and adults with physical and learning difficulties.
St Catherine’s Speech and Language school will receive almost £8,000 to start a new pilot project ‘Skills for Life’ where tablets will be used to help 19-25 year-olds with learning difficulties who are not in education, training or employment learn and improve their skills so they can live independently.
Porchfield and Newtown Village Hall will receive nearly £9,000 to improve infrastructure that will make the facility more sustainable.
The Bus Shelter (which has also previously been Island Roads staff’s charity of the year) has been granted £5,000 for a project to work with the IW College providing a range of educational and practical courses to help customers secure permanent accommodation and employment.
The Monday Group, a social group run by and for adults with learning disabilities, has been granted almost £8,500. The money will help them expand a social enterprise which uses land at Quarr Abbey to produce fresh produce for the abbey’s shop and café.
The Wave Project –an award‐winning charity that helps vulnerable children and young people experience a better life through surfing at Compton – will receive nearly £10,000 to buy much-needed equipment
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