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 continuing to see an increase in residents accessing their services.
In December 2024, Cabinet members agreed for £75,000 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 2024-25. This funding was assigned to ‘Pot 1’.
It was also agreed that an additional £50,000 would be available this winter to support organisations providing emergency assistance to help manage the impact of increased demand caused by the cost-of-living crisis. This funding was assigned to ‘Pot 2’.
Successful bids
In total, 22 organisations applied for this funding, which resulted in a thorough evaluation process. 18 organisations were selected as recipients of this funding to support Merton residents with emergency assistance and/or to support their organisation manage the impact of an increased demand for this assistance. The following organisations will receive funding:
- Community Drug and Alcohol Recovery Service (CDARS): To purchase food supplies and to cover the expenses of the volunteer driver and the salary of the Kitchen manager to support the delivery of their Community Kitchen programme.
- Commonside Community Development Trust: To purchase food for hot meals and children’s cooking sessions and to cover administrative costs for staff delivering support to residents. Funding will also contribute towards winter energy bills and cleaning of their site.
- Dons Local Action Group: To support with the procurement, onboarding, training and equipment costs of new volunteers and costs related to food provision for clients.
- Faith In Action: To purchase food, cleaning materials, sleeping bags, rucksacks, clothing, mobile phones and travel funds for homeless and vulnerably housed residents. Funding will also be allocated to train volunteers, to cover publicity costs and the implementation of an IT software to support staff.
- Hestia: To award grants to residents of the local refuge and to cover the cost of staff assessing applications and purchasing essentials.
- Inner Strength Network: To support the coordination, training and monitoring of staff, vouchers and transition funding for residents and the transportation and storage of goods for clients. Funding will also be used for IT, rent, supervision and staffing costs.
- Merton Centre for Independent Living: To hire an additional member of staff which will increase the organisations capacity to deliver information, guidance, and vouchers to clients.
- Merton Somali Community (MESCO): To fund the additional working hours of the Debt and Welfare Advisor and to upskill volunteers through training to provide support to clients. Part of the funding will also cover office utility bills over the winter.
- Mitcham Town Community Trust: To purchase food, utility and energy vouchers, to purchase breakfast provisions for children at the Shine Saturday school and to cover administrative costs for staff providing this support.
- Polish Family Association: To purchase food vouchers to be provided to clients over the winter.
- RCCG Living Water Parish: To recruit and train new volunteers and to fund the procurement, transportation and delivery of food parcels and essentials. Part of this funding will cover staff administration costs related to this project.
- South London Tamil Welfare Group: To contribute towards staffing costs.
- South Mitcham Community Association: To contribute towards utility bills over the winter.
- South West London Law Centres: To contribute towards office rental bills over the winter.
- Sustainable Merton: To contribute towards the salary of the Community Fridge Manager over the winter.
- Via: To purchase clothing, food, toiletries, travel cards and supermarket vouchers for clients.
- Wimbledon Foodbank: To contribute towards the purchase of baby supplies, pet food, toiletries and food for families. Funding will also be used for utility bills, driver and vehicle costs.
- Wood World Missions (Power Centre) and Power Centre Food Bank: To purchase food supplies and toiletries. Funding will also cover volunteer costs and utility bills.