In July 2022 we announced a cost-of-living emergency and agreed a £2 million fund to help residents hardest hit. We know that our current services are seeing an increase in residents accessing their services. Therefore, in September, Cabinet agreed for £100,000 to be allocated to existing strategic partners and organisations in the borough who provide emergency assistance to increase their capacity to support our residents now and through the winter.

Emergency assistance grants aim to help people access support with basic needs at point of crisis. Emergency assistance in the form of a food or provisions, goods, vouchers are designed to provide short-term, emergency support during a crisis. The aim of emergency support is to relieve immediate pressure by providing practical immediate assistance such as food and provisions but also offering additional information and support, so people don’t need to use the emergency support again in the future.

The deadline to submit bids was 5pm on 2 November 2022.

Successful bids

Following a short and simple application process, ten bids were submitted, evaluated and confirmed to support Merton residents in financial need with emergency assistance. The following organisations will receive funding:

  • Westminster Drug Project (WDP): Will establish a Capital Card pop-up essential items shop for 361 Merton service users of local drug and alcohol services.
  • Commonside Community Development Trust: To provide infrastructure support for law centre drop in, specialist training, support with travel and crisis cards for residents of Pollards Hill.
  • Community Drug and Alcohol Recovery Services (CDARS): To support the cooking, provision and delivery of hot meals to Merton service users of the mental health crisis café.
  • Wimbledon Foodbank: To provide additional support to prepare and deliver emergency food parcels to residents in Merton, and provide supermarket vouchers where required.
  • Dons Local Action Group (AFC Wimbledon): To fund additional staff to meet increased need to manage daily running of the operations in Merton to deliver individual food parcels and delivery of provisions to partners.
  • Inner Strength Network: Provide small grants and financial assistance to women and children in refuges in Merton, to help with volunteer expenses, volunteer supervision and training. 
  • Power Church Mitcham: Funding for 6 months to help fund additional food, toiletry supplies, volunteer expenses and electricity costs to Mitcham residents in need. 
  • Happy Family Support: Provide freshly cooked meals and access to day services to members South Asian Merton Community who would otherwise be unable to attend due to the cost of living.
  • Faith in Action: To support additional capacity to homeless and vulnerably housed people in Merton at Wednesday and Friday drop in in South Wimbledon.
  • Carers Support Merton:  An emergency fund to be able to give Merton carers in financial crisis a small grant to help cover basic living costs, such as food/provisions, goods, vouchers to provide short-term support.

Contacts

If you have any questions, please contact Heather Begg (Monday-Friday) on 020 8545 4515 or Amanda Roberts (Monday-Thursday) 020 8545 4685 or email voluntary.sector@merton.gov.uk