Seven Cambridgeshire charities have been shortlisted for the Hopkins Homes Cambridgeshire Charity Vote. Voting is open now, and the charities could receive a share of £10,000.
The shortlist has been compiled by Hopkins Homes with support from the Cambridgeshire Community Foundation and focuses on key themes of homelessness and displacement, deprivation and vulnerable people:
Age UK Cambridgeshire & Peterborough: Winning the vote would enable Age UK Cambridgeshire and Peterborough to continue its telephone befriender service in the area. The service has provided a vital tool in helping combat loneliness during the pandemic.
Cambridge Housing Society: CHS believes it takes a village to raise a child and any money received through the vote will be spent on building a mentoring programme for young people at risk of homelessness.
Froglife’s Green Pathways: Winning the vote would support Froglife’s Peterborough Region project which helps vulnerable and disadvantaged young people deliver practical conservation projects in their local neighbourhoods.
KICK: Winning the vote would help KICK deliver a support project for the siblings of young offenders across Huntingdonshire who have an increased risk of being exploited and becoming involved in crime themselves.
Meadows Children and Family Wing: Winning the vote would enable the charity to enhance its Life after Abuse programme to meet individual and family needs and improve the physical and mental wellbeing of the women in the programme.
Stars: Winning the vote would allow Stars to support more local children and young people who are coping with the loss of a parent, sibling or other significant person in their life. Due to covid there has sadly been a significant increase in demand for the service.
The Soham Hygiene Bank: Winning the vote would help the Soham branch of The Hygiene Bank’s work supplying personal care and cleaning products through its network of community organisations, schools and charities to those in need in Soham and Cambridgeshire.
The three charities with the most votes when it closes at 5pm Friday 16 July will receive a share of £10,000 (first place £7,000; second £2,000 and third £1,000).
Joshua Hopkins of the Hopkins Charitable Fund said: “Covid has had a significant impact on the work of charities both in terms of their levels of fundraising and the increase in demand for their services.
“Throughout the pandemic we’ve been working with charities in East Anglia to help them continue some of the essential services they offer in the community. The vote is an opportunity for the public to choose which charity they would like to see receive an extra funding boost.
“All the shortlisted charities offer important services to their communities, The vote is a great way for the charities to galvanise their current supporters, reach out to new ones and they could also receive a significant donation.”
The vote is part of the Hopkins Charitable Fund which since 2017 has donated over £370,000 in small grants, given over £450,000 to major projects and supported over 140 charities, 25 community-run shops and pubs and helped conserve war memorials across East Anglia.
The public can find out more about each charity and cast their vote by visiting: https://www.hopkinshomes.co.uk/charity-cambridgeshire-vote/
Michael O’Toole, Chief Executive, Cambridgeshire Community Foundation added: “This is a great way for the shortlisted charities to spread the word about their latest work and future projects; I’d urge everyone to take a look at the shortlist and make their choice. The generous donation from Hopkins Homes will significantly help the chosen charities continue their excellent efforts in our communities.”
The vote opens on Monday 28 June and will run until 5pm Friday 16 July.