Among the 35 awards from the local family brewery were 18 Dorset charities and community groups who will receive vital funds
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Hall & Woodhouse has announced the successful recipients of its annual Community Chest grants – 18 of which are Dorset organisations. In total, the company has awarded more than £50,000 to worthy causes.
Each year, Hall & Woodhouse (H&W) invite applications from charities and community groups across the south of England, largely from Dorset to Devon.
This year, a wide variety of charities were awarded funding, and over £25,000 was awarded to the 18 charitable organisations in Dorset, with a further four charities in Wiltshire, Hampshire, and Devon being recognised at the awards ceremony held at The Brewery Tap in Blandford.
Mark Woodhouse, Family Director of H&W, said: ‘Our Community Chest was founded over 20 years ago to support and strengthen the local communities which make Hall & Woodhouse such a vibrant company. This year, we have found the need to provide people with food, warmth, and shelter to be extremely high.
‘With costs rising during a financially difficult time for many, being able to offer necessary support for those in desperate need is more important now than ever before. We are proud to make it our duty to help where we can with this critical fund.’
The Vale Pantry, which provides food aid and support to struggling families in North Dorset, was awarded £3,000. The grant will be used to purchase fresh food to ensure the charity is able to continue making food packages to meet the increased demand for this service.
Since 2002, the Hall & Woodhouse Community Chest has donated over £760,000 to more than 850 causes across the south of England. The fund works in close partnership with both the Dorset and Sussex Community Foundations.