A charity which transforms the health and wellbeing of people across the region has gone above and beyond to extend its support during the most challenging time in living memory.

Help for Health, which also supports people with disabilities and those facing illness, has bolstered its existing available funds by investing a further £100,000 for those in need during the Covid-19 pandemic.

In addition to the usual grant funding available from Help for Health, small Hull and East Riding charities which have met the needs of their communities during the crisis can now apply for grants of up to £5,000 from the East Riding Covid-19 Recovery and Resilience Fund.

The fund has been established in partnership with HEY Smile Foundation and East Riding of Yorkshire Council to help drive recovery and support charities to respond accordingly to make a difference in their communities.

Charitable groups which provide access to sustainable food sources, enable access to medication and health services, help to alleviate isolation, and promote healthy lifestyles and activities are among those encouraged to apply for funding.

The fund has already made a major difference during the pandemic, including providing £25,000 to compliment funding from both NHS Hull and East Riding Clinical Commissioning Groups for HEY Smile Foundation’s High Fiver campaign, which raised funds to recognise and support volunteers who have stepped up to help others since Covid hit.

It has also granted £24,000 to 11 groups who applied to the fund, as well as supporting the Covid-19 vaccination support programme with high visibility jackets and umbrellas for volunteers.

Andrew Milner, Chairman of Help for Health, said: “We regularly receive applications from charities, organisations and community groups who need support to improve the health and wellbeing of local residents.

“The Covid pandemic has brought about the need to be more flexible and quicker in our response, which encouraged us to work with HEY Smile Foundation and East Riding of Yorkshire Council in allocating the £100,000.

“Pooling our resources and working together has been incredibly positive, ensuring money is being used to its maximum value and meaning we can support people much sooner.

“Smile enabled us to have a presence on the Beecan funding platform website, which is an extremely useful tool for funding applications. It means we can immediately respond to requests for funding, often within seven days and sometimes within 24 hours.”

Andy Barber, HEY Smile Foundation Chief Executive Officer, said building on the charity’s long-standing relationship with Help for Health and joining forces to facilitate funds for the wider community has been a real force for good during the pandemic.

He said: “When Covid hit, Help for Health wanted to move quickly to support those who were key to helping others and we’ve been able to use our knowledge and expertise to help them reach the right people.

“It’s not just charities on the ground making a difference that need help, it’s the funders and how we overcome any challenges to ensuring financial support reaches the right places and people in a timely manner.

“These are challenging times and finances can often be a barrier to enabling and supporting people’s wellbeing and happiness. We’ve been able to remove some of those barriers and I’m really proud of how well this partnership is working.”

Haltemprice Men in Sheds, an Anlaby-based group where men can socialise, create and learn new skills while combating isolation, received a £5,000 grant from the East Riding Covid-19 Recovery and Resilience Fund for roofing and heating repairs, and workshop equipment at their base.

Steve Brown, Treasurer at Men in Sheds, said: “We’re delighted about the funding. Having heating in our building and the roof repaired has made a big difference. Although we’re currently restricted in using the building due to Covid, we’re looking forward to using it more regularly.

“It’s great that groups such as our can apply for funding like this. We wouldn’t exist without this funding because we’re not making, selling or repairing anything at the moment. We’re really grateful for the support.”

As funding applications continue to be received, each one will be assessed against set criteria. Applicants must be registered as an organisation and show their activity via Beecan, be based and work in Hull or the East Riding and be able to identify the aims of the grant they apply for.

To find out more about the Hull and East Riding Covid-19 Recovery and Resilience Fund, and to apply for a grant, visit http://bit.ly/H4HGrants

Further information about the Hull High Fiver campaign is available via http://bit.ly/HighFiverHull and through http://bit.ly/HighFiverER for the East Riding.

Those interested in finding out more are required to sign up to Beecan to view the information.