Help Given During The Last 5 years

The Hardship Scheme

This is a flagship project first established by the Charity during the Covid pandemic to help those in dire need. Owing to its success it has been continued and provides basic financial help for those in dire need in the town when no other help is available.  Help can be accessed via the Christchurch Foodbank+ and the Christchurch Community Partnership.

The Charity acknowledges the financial contributions totalling £25,000 kindly made by the Christchurch Charitable Trust towards the funding for the Corona Virus Emergency Fund and its successor the Hardship Scheme during the years 2020 to 2025.

General Grants

The Charity has given direct financial help to individuals and families in Christchurch over many years, and it still provides such help where appropriate, particularly where hardship is being caused as a result of infirmity. However, it now provides most help by working with front-line charities,  and other organisations, in the town, and supports them by providing cash grants to help them in their work. Support for individuals and families in dire financial need is now available through the Hardship Scheme by application to the Foodbank+ or the Christchurch Community Partnership as well as other programmes run by these and other charities.

Listed below are grants made by the Charity since 2020. Grants made directly to individuals and families are listed as an overall total.

Where titles are underlined, clicking will direct you to the relevant webpage.

So far in 2026Grants made for the people of ChristchurchAmount
So far in 2026Total given for the people of Christchurch£
2025Grants made for the people of ChristchurchAmount
Ashleys Birthday Bank
Providing a crisis service for families with children.
Grants for 2025 and 2026 to support families in crisis who are in dire financial need.£3,000
Citizens Advice, Bournemouth Christchurch & PooleOne year’s grant to fund the Christchurch specialist one-to-one benefits advice service.£15,169
Christchurch Magdalen Trust Hardship Scheme
Administered by Christchurch Foodbank+ and the Christchurch Community Partnership.		Grants of financial help for those in dire need in 2025 and payment of a shortfall for 2024.£16,734
Christchurch Foodbank+
Home Equip Furniture Project.		The grant specified is for one year and is the 3rd payment of a five year programme of funding to 2027 for household furniture & necessities for those in need.£6,000
Christchurch Foodbank+
CMA Debt Advice service.		The grant specified is for one year and is the 2nd payment of a three year programme of funding to 2026 to provide debt advice for those in financial hardship.£18,370
Christchurch Recovery Breakfast Club
Helping those recovering from addiction.		Rent & Meals for 2025.£840
Individuals & Families Two grants for equipment to enable a terminally ill person to remain at home. £807
Individuals & Families The purchase of specialist equipment for a person with multiple health and mobility issues.£779
Individuals & Families A grant for a minor property repair for a person with financial and health difficulties.£180
Somerford Arc Community CentreA grant to pay for the Arc Breakfast and Craft clubs to support children and carers and to provide an avenue to advice and guidance.£8,295
The Honeypot Children's Charity
Supporting young carers.		The grant is to provide 6 young carers between the ages of 5 and 12 with a respite break to create happy memories, alleviate isolation, build confidence and support emotional wellbeing.£2,946
The Christchurch Support Kabin
Providing food, necessities & help for the homeless.		The grant pays for electricity for one year for the Charity, which supplies hot food and personal necessities for the homeless in Christchurch and provides help with social housing and other welfare applications.£1,500
The MYTIME Young Carers
Supporting young carers.		A grant for the year 2025 2026 to provide 45 young carers with activity memory days and Christmas goodie bags.£3,309
Green Door Families
Mast project supporting men suffering abuse & mental health issues.		A grant to relaunch Green Door's Highcliffe group and to further support it's Christchurch Group.£500
Diverse Abilities
CHAOS Programme for young people with profound learning & physical disabilities		The 1st instalment of a grant supporting the whole family by providing 120 play sessions within the CHAOS programme provided at the Charity’s Treehouse facility at Hurn.£2652
Prama Life
Supporting older people including those with dementia or suffering isolation.		A grant to support it’s Memory Lane group in Christchurch which supports those with dementia and memory loss.£500
2025Total given for the people of Christchurch£81,581
2024Grants made for the people of ChristchurchAmount
Christchurch seniors fish & chip Supper
Annual Christmas meal for the less mobile elderly in Christchurch		A match-funding grant towards the cost of the fish & chips.£416
Christchurch Foodbank+A match-funding grant to provide food for those in need at Christmas.£5,000
Dorset Mind
Connected Minds Programme		A match-funding grant to support 36 young people between 10 and 13 years old suffering anxiety and emotional problems leading to low school attendance.£3,154
Diverse Abilities
CHAOS Programme for young people with profound learning & physical disabilities		A grant supporting the whole family by providing 120 play sessions within the CHAOS programme provided at the Charity’s Treehouse facility at Hurn.£11,574
Citizens Advice, Bournemouth Christchurch & PooleOne year’s grant to fund the Christchurch specialist one-to-one benefits advice service.£7,371
Citizens Advice, Bournemouth Christchurch & Poole (In conjunction with Foodbank+)
One year’s grant to fund the specialist one-to-one benefits advice service based at the Foodbank in Purewell.£3,298
Christchurch Magdalen Trust Hardship Scheme
Administered by Christchurch Foodbank+ and the Christchurch Community Partnership.		Grants of financial help for those in dire need in 2023 plus a grant in advance for 2024.£22,209
Christchurch Foodbank+
Home Equip Furniture Project		The grant specified is for one year and is the second payment of a five year programme of funding to 2027 for household furniture & necessities for those in need.£6,000
Christchurch Foodbank+
CMA Debt Advice service		The grant specified is for one year and is the first payment of a three year programme of funding to 2026 to provide debt advice for those in financial hardship.£18,370
Water Lily Project
Helping abused & vulnerable women		Grant for lighting repairs.£196
Somerford Arc Community CentreGrant to pay for the Arc Craft Club to support children and carers and to provide an avenue to advice & guidance.£2,180
Parkinsons UK (Christchurch & District Branch)
Committed through Christchurch Rotary Living Advent Calendar		General Grant for ongoing costs.£500
Individuals & Families
Contributions were kindly received from three other charities to help with one of these grants.		3 individuals/families (including one match-funded with three other charities) have so far received direct help from the Charity during 2024.£764
In 2024Total given for the people of Christchurch£81,032
2023Grants made for the people of ChristchurchAmount
Citizens Advice, Bournemouth Christchurch & PooleOne year’s grant for specialist one-to-one benefits advice£9,647
Christchurch Magdalen Trust Hardship SchemeGrants of financial help for those in dire need£10,575
Christchurch Foodbank+
Home Equip Furniture Project		Grant specified is for one year and is the first payment of a five year programme of funding approved for household furniture & necessities for those in need£6,000
Christchurch Foodbank+
CMA Debt Advice service		One year’s grant for one-to-one debt advice plus further funding to expand the service to provide debt advice on one further day per week£12,469
Christchurch Foodbank+
Benefits Advice Service		Pilot project with Citizens Advice, Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole to provide specialist benefits advice on site for people using the Foodbank.£3,900
Dorset Blind AssociationGrants to establish a “library” to borrow, and enable those in financial need to access, sight loss aids and to support Christchurch community clubs for one year£8,266
Green Door Families
Mast project supporting men suffering abuse & mental health issues		Grant to establish a new group in Highcliffe£500
Christchurch Recovery Breakfast Club
Helping those recovering from addiction		Rent & meals for 2024£1,586
Age Concern ChristchurchProfessional fees for the acquisition of a further shop£3,000
Ashleys Birthday Bank
Providing a crisis service for families with children		One year’s grant to support families in crisis who are also in dire financial need£5,000
Individuals & Families 1 individual/family received direct help from the Charity during 2023£1,790
In 2023Total given for the people of Christchurch£62,733
2022Grants made for the people of ChristchurchAmount
Christchurch Recovery Breakfast Club
Helping those recovering from addiction
Rent and meals for 2022
£1,456
Citizens Advice, Bournemouth Christchurch & Poole

One year’s grant for specialist one-to-one benefits advice & debt relief orders £7,835
Green Door Families
MAST Project supporting men suffering abuse and mental health issues		Extension of project to west & central Christchurch£750
Christchurch Foodbank+
CMA Debt advice service		One year’s grant for one-to-one debt advice £11,784
Christchurch Foodbank+
Home Equip Furniture Project		One year’s grant for household furniture & necessities for those in need £4,700
Christchurch Magdalen Trust Hardship SchemeGrants of financial help for those in dire need£10,000
Asthma ReliefThe provision of 6 nebulizers across Christchurch£1,000
Christchurch Community PartnershipWinter help providing companionship & a meal for those who are isolated£2,277
In 2022Total given to the people of Christchurch£39,802
2021Grants made for the people of ChristchurchAmount
Christchurch Foodbank+
Home Equip Furniture Project		Household furniture & necessities for those in need during 2021 & to furnish 8 homes for families escaping domestic violence during the pandemic £6,133
Christchurch Foodbank+
CMA Debt Advice Service		One year’s grant for one-to-one debt advice £9,152
Christchurch Community PartnershipSalaries for telephone friendship group & dial-a-bus pending the result of a lottery application£7,112
Asthma ReliefThe provision of 6 nebulizers across Christchurch£1,000
Christchurch Magdalen Trust Hardship Scheme
Successor to the Corona Virus Scheme		Grants of financial help for those in dire need£2,000
Water Lily Project
Helping abused & vulnerable women		Grant for training courses£1,000
Green Door Families
MAST Project supporting men suffering abuse & mental health issues		A pilot project to support men suffering abuse and mental health issues£480
Individuals/Families3 individuals/families received direct help from the Charity during 2021£3,121
In 2021Total given for the people of Christchurch£29,998
2020Grants made for the people of ChristchurchAmount
Citizens Advice, Bournemouth Christchurch & PooleGrant for debt relief orders and one to one benefits advice£2,451
Christchurch Foodbank+
CMA Debt Advice service		Grant for one to one debt advice£9,125
Christchurch Foodbank+
Home Equip Furniture Project		Grant to provide household furniture and necessities for those need£4,500
Asthma ReliefGrant for 6 more nebulizers in Christchurch£1,000
Christchurch Magdalen Trust Corona Virus SchemeEmergency help for those in dire financial need as a result of the pandemic£24,000
EDP Drug and Alcohol Services20 childrens learning packs for families suffering as a result of addiction£80
Water Lily Project
Helping abused & vulnerable women		Deliveries of hot food to homes during the pandemic£250
Individuals/Families3 individuals/families received direct help from the Charity during 2020£1,172
In 2020Total given for the people of Christchurch£42,578