MALMESBURY CHARITY APPEAL DOUBLES ITS COVID-19 EMERGENCY FUND TARGET
Malmesbury charity HEALS is thanking local people and businesses for helping it double its Covid 19 Emergency Hardship Fund target to support local vulnerable individuals and families. The appeal has had the backing of the town’s 17 current and former Mayors and four church leaders.
“We had hoped to raise £10,000, but were simply amazed by the generosity of local people, organisations and charities. As a result, we have more than doubled our original target and the fund now stands at just over £20,000” said Heals Chair of Trustees Gavin Grant.
“That help is much needed. It has meant we have been able to provide free meals three times a week to those that really need them, recycle and upgrade 50 laptops for children to do school work at home, replace broken household appliances and meet household bills for people without the means to pay,” Cllr Grant added.
Heals has organised the provision of more than 4,300 free meals, two to three times a week, for more than 100 local people since lockdown. The charity was supported by Calcot Hotel & Spa, Waitrose Malmesbury, Tesco Tetbury and since May, by the Red Bull Inn in Malmesbury which has served up more than 2,000 meals at cost. The meals service will continue until the schools return in September and the charity is looking at what it can do to continue to support people who continue to need help.
Applications for help from the Emergency Fund are still open. To apply email heals.malmesbury@gmail.com, or complete the Contact Us online form at www.healsmalmesbury.co.uk. Applicants will need to provide confidential details about their current finances. The Fund will help pay bills or make essential purchases, rather than hand out money direct to applicants.
Although the online appeal is now closed, donations can still be made by cheque or by bank transfer to the Malmesbury Area Covid-19 Emergency Hardship Fund, account number 21527088, sort code 40 31-07, or by cheque made payable to ‘Heals’ send to Heals, Malmesbury Town Hall, Cross Hayes, Malmesbury, SN16 9BZ