Elmbridge Borough Council Cost of Living funding awards announced

The Elmbridge Cost of Living Fund is thrilled to support numerous charities and community groups within the borough that have successfully secured funding through the third round of our initiative. Our goal is to provide financial assistance to organisations dedicated to helping residents cope with rising living costs, with a particular emphasis on sustainable solutions.

Councillor Gill Coates Portfolio Holder for Community Care is pleased to provide these funding awards, especially with Christmas so close:

"We are delighted to support a diverse array of charities and community groups in Elmbridge through the third round of our Cost of Living Fund. We understand that many residents are facing financial hardships, particularly during the Christmas season, and we recognise the significant impact this funding will have. It is crucial that we collaborate with these local groups to ensure the funds are distributed quickly and effectively to those in need."

The charities and groups receiving funding from a total pot of £100,000 are: 

Home-start Elmbridge:
Home-Start is offering free counselling sessions to parents of families currently under their support. These sessions will help staff identify parents with complex needs and many of these challenges have been exacerbated by the cost-of-living crisis. The counselling aims to aid recovery and improve the lives of both the parents and their children.

Dreams for Hope:
The project aims to manufacture and deliver beds and bedding to children in Elmbridge who lack a proper place to sleep. Dreams for Hope is collaborating with Weybridge Men’s Shed, which will craft the beds, and Home-Start Elmbridge, which will identify those most in need. Together, they are working to eradicate bed poverty in the community.

Walsingham Care: 
Elmbridge residents over the age of 60 can receive either vouchers or equipment (like items to create a "warm room," such as oil-filled radiators, bedding, and white goods) to help ease the financial strain and anxiety caused by changes to winter fuel payments and rising energy costs.

Give Christmas: 
Give Christmas aims to ensure no local child goes without a Christmas present or warm pair of pyjamas this winter. This in turn will remove the burden of having to choose between the above and essentials such as heating/electricity. Targeting East Elmbridge residents via schools & home link workers, families will be able to select a relevant gift which will be presented at a separate event which also serves to signpost families to other support available.  

Funding has been awarded to cover the costs of children’s pyjamas ensuring they will be warm and cosy in the evenings. 

Elmbridge CAN:
Elmbridge CAN supports displaced people in Elmbridge who are not part of government resettlement schemes. It will focus on supporting those who have no access to public funds and so may be at risk of destitution. 

Oasis Charity food vouchers:
Oasis have received funding for 50 £75 food vouchers to support families identified by local schools. This annual service helps alleviate cost-of-living pressures, especially during the festive period. 

Smiles2Smiles Christmas hamper project:
The Christmas Hamper Project supports 350 families each year by providing hampers filled with gifts, snacks, clothing, and toiletries. Families are nominated by various community organizations, and the hampers are distributed by Smiles2Smiles volunteers. 50 food vouchers worth £75 each have been contributed to the project.

Waste to Plate - Soup makers for homes initiative:
This project supports elderly individuals who have lost their winter fuel allowance and teenagers in food poverty. It provides soup makers and fresh ingredients to promote healthy eating and reduce food waste. Vulnerable individuals are identified through schools, CAB, Foodbanks, and local charities. Each participant receives a soup maker and weekly vegetable boxes to help them prepare nutritious meals.

Lower Green Community CIO:
Several projects aimed at supporting those affected by the cost of living. 

• Provide low-cost food and drinks in the community café at affordable prices for individuals and families on low income. 
• Free lunch boxes to help parents feed children over school holidays. 
• Supermarket/fuel vouchers distributed to those receiving support via their advice café.  
• Restocking of Emergency Food store when required. 

Stripey Stork:
Stripey Stork, a baby bank supporting Surrey families since 2013, aim to meet the growing demand for practical items needed to raise children from birth to age 18 and will also provide school supplies through their School Days campaign.

BRITE Box:
The BRITE Box project provides weekly recipe meal kits with prepared ingredients and dyslexia-friendly recipe cards to families at risk of food insecurity. It offers a fun, hands-on way for families to cook healthy meals together, helping with budgeting and building resilience. Running from late September 2024 to July 2025, the project partners with nine primary schools in Elmbridge to identify and support families in need.

Elmbridge Women’s Hub:
The Elmbridge Women’s Hub (EWH), launching in early 2025 in Walton-upon-Thames, will support women who have experienced domestic abuse, trauma, and mental health challenges. It offers free, safe spaces to address their practical, emotional, and wellbeing needs, particularly for those affected by the cost-of-living crisis. Services include weekly support groups and community building with healthy meals and personal care giveaways, advocacy for housing and benefits, and free supervised childcare for children under 4.

Surrey Lifelong Learning Partnerships:
Surrey Lifelong Learning Partnerships aim to empower people to improve their economic situation through cost-of-living workshops. These workshops will teach budgeting, bill management, and debt handling, and provide advice on employment and debt. The workshops will be held in community spaces to ensure accessibility and will run from December 2024 to November 2025. Participants will be encouraged to make the best financial decisions for themselves and their families.

Energy Manage CIC:
A series of 8 Energy Support Sessions will be delivered to Elmbridge residents impacted by the cost of living. These sessions aim to help low-income residents manage their energy use, save money, and access further support. Topics include energy-saving tips, reducing bills, tackling damp and condensation, and understanding energy tariffs and grants. Each participant will receive a small appliance (1 per household), such as a slow cooker, dehumidifier or electric blanket, to aid in energy and money savings.

Elmbridge Community Eco Hub - The Hygiene Bank:
The Walton-On-Thames Community Fridge provides free nutritious food to Elmbridge residents using surplus food donated by retail partners. Volunteers collect and distribute this food, having redistributed 63,500kg to around 1,600 families so far. Additionally, they aim to provide affordable personal hygiene products such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, soap, and feminine hygiene products through a new initiative called 'The Hygiene Bank,' offering these items at cost or, if signposted by EG citizens advice, GP or the Foodbank, for free.

Learn more about the cost of living fund