VITAL items including personal protective equipment, medical supplies and foodbanks are reaching communities and helping the most vulnerable through the covid-19 crisis.

Money distributed through Dartmoor National Park Authority’s Coronavirus Community Support Grant (CCSG) provides rapid funding to organisations working in communities affected by the pandemic.

Today (Thursday), the authority’s leadership praised the community response and, with funding still available, encouraged organisations to apply.

The CCSG, launched on March 30, provides grants of up to £500 to voluntary and community groups so they can help the most vulnerable in their communities and tackle social and economic impacts of the virus.

So far, 23 organisations have been given funding, benefiting hundreds of people at a time they need it most.

North East Dartmoor Care (NEDCare,) the community-owned provider of regulated care at home, was awarded £500 to help insulate their critical service against the effects of Covid-19.

Team Horrabridge was established to support local residents through the crisis, providing a village foodbank and a hardship fund.

Working alongside a range of other local organisations, the Ashburton Community Covid-19 Response Team has carried out an enormous amount of work to give residents essential help and support. This includes 316 local store deliveries, dealing with over 700 calls to a helpline and delivering over 260 medical supplies to people in need.

DNPA Chair Pamela Woods said: ‘I am very encouraged by the response to our fund; the initiatives are a lifeline for so many and the people involved in delivering them are heroic. I would strongly urge organisations or projects that need support to submit an application.

‘We remain committed to supporting projects so they can continue working in communities and help those who need it most.’

DNPA chief executive Kevin Bishop said: ‘Very early on in the pandemic, we made the social wellbeing of Dartmoor communities one of our top priorities. I am delighted to see the rapid release of grant funding is having such an important and positive impact on these hard-working organisations and the people they serve.

‘As an authority, we are really pleased to see so many organisations apply and are delighted to support them in their incredible endeavours.’

Example of eligible projects/activities or items include:

Support for vulnerable persons eg delivery of food and medicines and ‘social’ support for people living alone (eg costs of phone call).

Project development costs eg printing of leaflets or developing online information.

Transport related initiatives focused on safe community responses to the pandemic.

Equipment necessary to support community based responses to the pandemic (eg necessary PPE).

Applications are accepted from constituted and not-for-private-profit voluntary, community and social enterprise (VCSE) sector groups and organisations, town/parish councils, charities or businesses, or a combination of such groups working together.

Groups, small local businesses and individuals without their own separate bank account may also apply, but they will need to have the support of a recognised organisation acting on their behalf as guarantor or as the holder of the funding.

To find out more contact Dartmoor National Park Authority’s Community Engagement Officer Emma Stockley by email [email protected]

For the latest stay at home advice visit www.gov.uk

For Dartmoor related updates visit www.dartmoor.gov.uk