Anglian Water operates at the heart of the community, and its employees live locally too, so they’re committed to making this region a great place to live and work.
The Coronavirus pandemic has shown that community has never been more important, and that’s why Anglian Water has created
The Anglian Water Positive Difference Fund. It will provide grants to support projects which have a positive impact on the people and communities they serve, allowing them to provide help and connecting people with the practical and essential support they need.
The first part of the fund is open to constituted community organisations in certain areas of Hertfordshire who are supporting vulnerable, isolated and older people at this time. Areas covered are the SG1, SG4, SG5, SG6, SG7, SG8 and SG9 postcode areas, which covers Hitchin, Letchworth, Baldock, Buntingford, Royston and the west part of Stevenage. Please use the postcode checker
here to see if you are in an Anglian Water service area and eligible to apply.
It will provide community organisations with emergency funding to deal with emerging issues in the community, as a result of the continuing threat of coronavirus, and the need for self-isolation, and potential for further exacerbation of loneliness and isolation. This will include; the need for self-isolation, financial hardship, potential for hunger, lack of shelter, further exacerbation of health issues, loneliness and isolation.
Grants between £1000 and £5000 will be considered (larger grants may be available for groups working in partnership, or in exceptional circumstances). We aim for the process to take between 5 and 10 working days.
To be eligible for funding, your project must support those who are considered high risk (including those with pre-existing medical conditions and older people over 60) or those in vulnerable circumstances and help to:
- Support their ongoing needs, ensuring their health and mental well-being is maintained,
- Reduce isolation and vulnerability during any isolation period that may arise as a result of the threat of coronavirus,
- Help to make sure people remain safely connected with the outside world during this time.
Example projects might include:
- Support for foodbanks and organisations working to combat hardship caused by the pandemic including child hunger.
- Groups that provide services to address domestic abuse and violence in the home.
- Support for groups that provide services to those who are homeless.
- Tackling the impacts of financial hardship.
- Enabling people to keep warm, and independent in their homes.
- Enabling people to access a nutritious meal by connecting them to services providing groceries, and/or ready-made meals.
- Enabling and encouraging people to use and access technology to keep them connected to the outside world.
- Reaching out to isolated people by telephone, and befriending.
- Enabling home education for children and young people.