Ten groups awarded grants toward community action

Homegrown in Tottenham and Sewn Together were among those selected for the awards funded by Haringey Giving, reports Miriam Balanescu

Ten groups and organisations based in Haringey have been awarded grants to help them make a positive difference in their local communities.

Funded by Haringey Giving, the ‘Together We Can’ grants aim to support residents in the borough to “take action” on local issues which they identify as important.

The latest round of grants, totalling £45,000, were given earlier this month to not-for-profit groups, charities and social enterprises including Homegrown in Tottenham, an independent social collective offering a free Saturday school and community kitchen, and Paths Through Change, a group supporting children aged 7-10 experiencing divorce in their families.

Homegrown in Tottenham has already used their allocated funds to provide support for 60 families in Tottenham and the surrounding areas through their ‘Christmas Hampers’ scheme: “We asked people to indicate which gift cards would be most useful to them and delivered these the third week of December,” said volunteer Emma Djilali.

The group also converted the Marcus Garvey Library into a social space for young people and families, where food and refreshments were available and visitors could try their hand at craft activities: “It was important for us to come together and also helped in addressing feelings of isolation and the added pressure that can come from the winter season when households are faced with rising costs,” said Emma.

“We are humbled to be awarded a grant from ‘Together we can’,” added Sonja Scantlebury-Camara, project manager at Sewn Together, a community group aiming to bolster community connections through crafts.

“Our organisation exists to serve our community by using craft, creativity and culture to support physical and mental wellness, leading to healthy lifestyles,” Sonja explained. “This grant will be very helpful in supporting us to reach more participants.”

Haringey Giving is an independent partnership that encourages community action through drawing together those who live and work in Haringey, local community organisations, funders and public sector partners.

The ‘Together We Can’ grant panel had three priority areas for funding: increasing community safety for children and young people; nurturing mental health including people experiencing social isolation; and encouraging upskilling and enterprise for people living in Haringey who are refugees or from migrant communities.

Helen Rayfield, chair of Haringey Giving, commented on the awards: “I’m delighted to see so many wonderful groups and organisations supported through our latest round of ‘Together We Can’ programme. In this round, we were looking to fund activities which were led by local people, for local people and delivered collaboratively, making a real difference locally”.

The full list of awardees can be found on the Haringey Giving website.

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