Health & Lifestyle | Posted on September 23rd, 2025 | return to news

Dorset Community Foundation’s food and energy fund reopens

Charities and community groups can now apply for up to £6,500 of funding to help people deal with the cost of living over the winter period.

Charities and community groups are invited to apply for grants worth up to £6,500 from Dorset Community Foundation’s BCP Food and Energy Support Fund to help people deal with the cost of living over the winter period.

The fund, backed by Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole (BCP) Council, uses money from the government’s Household Support Fund with funds going towards essential services such as cooking equipment, low-cost meals, clothing and energy support.

Dorset Community Foundation’s Chief Executive Grant Robson said: “We’re very proud of the fact that BCP Council entrusts us with making sure this much-needed money from the government is used as effectively as possible.”

According to the Dorset Community Foundation, 165,100 households in Dorset are unable to afford a healthy diet. Given this statistic and the cost of living continuing to take its toll, the grant scheme aims to be successful once again. This is the ninth round of funding, with the previous round awarding just under £280,000 to 38 charities and voluntary groups in the BCP area.

Cllr Sandra Moore, Cabinet member for communities and partnerships at BCP Council, said: “We are committed to ensuring residents impacted by the cost of living have access to food and energy support, and supporting these worthy community initiatives is a key part of working towards this.”

She added: “Thank you to all those involved in delivering these community projects and for your dedication to helping those in need.”

Amongst the previous recipients of this fund was a social supermarket and cafe in Poole: Waste Not Want Not. CEO Erika Sloper said: “The funding helped us offer energy-saving equipment such as multi-cookers, soup kettles, heated throws, and thermal clothing to vulnerable families — helping them reduce energy usage, stay warm, and still enjoy hot, nutritious meals.”

Another recipient was PramaLife in Dorchester, which was granted £8,500 to run two lunch clubs a month for older people in Boscombe and Hamworthy. This is after data showed that 25.6 per cent of adults in the BCP area said they feel lonely always, often or some of the time.

Manager Sue Warr said: “This approach provides the opportunity to distribute information, signposting and support, provide interventions to escalate issues to the appropriate authorities if people are struggling, assists people to access benefits and financial support they may be entitled to and provide a warm and welcoming environment that helps create new friendships and reduces loneliness and isolation.”

Applications for funding are open until 13 October 2025. Grants must be used for activities running between November and March for BCP residents. For more details on how to apply, go to dorsetcommunityfoundation.org.