Chichester MP Gillian Keegan celebrates with local charities as tens of thousands in government funding is handed out

Selsey Community Forum and UKHarvest received £21,157 and £66,497 respectively from the fund which was set up to support charities and community organisations at last year’s Spring Budget. The grants recognise the crucial role the two charities play delivering critical frontline services and the impact of recent increased demand and delivery costs.

The Chichester-based UKHarvest works to rescue food that would otherwise go to waste and provides education on reducing food waste and eating healthily across the South East.

The charity’s CEO, Yvonne Thomson, has said they are “over the moon” to be awarded additional funding “in recognition of the critical work our charity does to support those in food insecurity.”

Ms Thomson continued: “This grant provides valuable funding to meet the increased operational costs UKHarvest have faced in rescuing, storing and re-distributing surplus food across our network of charities and Community Food Hubs over this last year. It ensures this precious food is not wasted and can feed those in our community on the tightest budgets.”

The second recipient of the funding in the Chichester area, Selsey Community Forum, is a partnership of local voluntary organisations which seeks to identify and meet local needs – from money advice to wellbeing services. The charity also aims to guard the financial health of local voluntary organisations by seeking new sources of funding.

Forum Chair, Mike Nicholls, said: “This funding, for which we are very grateful, will help us, with other agencies, to keep our community fed, warm and safe during this winter.

“The grant will assist our support work in providing warm spaces, debt, finance and employment advice and social interaction. We thank the Government for this assistance.”

Gillian Keegan, the Member of Parliament for Chichester, has supported both charities since her election in 2017.

On hearing the good news, she commented: “It is wonderful that these two charities have received this additional government funding which recognises their brilliant work in our community. I’ve visited both organisations on several occasions to see first-hand the impact they have and regularly hear from constituents who have benefited from their great work.

“These are tough times for many, but I am so pleased that this dedicated Government funding is clearly making a big impact here in Chichester.”

The National Lottery Community Fund administers and awards the funding, with many thousands of pounds more still to be distributed to worthy causes across the country.