Cash-strapped volunteer and community organisations hit by the coronavirus pandemic now have the opportunity to tap into an emergency funding pool announced for Greenwich.

A total of £150,000 in funding has been made available to groups within the borough, after Greenwich Council matched a £75,000 grant put forward by Greenwich Charitable Trust, the borough’s NHS charity.

Voluntary and community organisations can secure grants of between £5,000 and £10,000 in a bid to help support them during the Covid-19 pandemic.

METRO GAVS, the body which supports voluntary, community and faith-based organisations in the borough, will administer the scheme.

The groups says the grants can be applied for in three areas:

  • Supporting voluntary and community organisations in financial difficulty that are key to the health and wellbeing of the local community.
  • Supporting voluntary and community organisations to adapt services to support people around health and wellbeing during the pandemic, with a particular focus on mental wellbeing.
  • Supporting voluntary and community organisations tackling poverty and food poverty in the local community caused by the effects of COVID-19.

Naomi Goldberg, director of strategy at METRO, said the grants would prop up the sector during through the lockdown.

“We are hugely grateful to Greenwich Charitable Trust and the Royal Borough of Greenwich for providing this additional funding for the sector at this difficult and extraordinary time,” she said.

“In doing so, they are recognising the essential contribution that our voluntary, community and faith sector make to the health and wellbeing of the borough’s residents, and the crucial need for continuity and robust services, now more than ever.”

Greenwich Council leader Danny Thorpe said the demand for the council’s Community Hub emphasised the need for organisations helping those in need during the crisis.

“The response from our borough’s voluntary and community sector to the COVID-19 pandemic has been incredible, and we want to help them do even more,” he said.

“Our Community Hub has had over 20,000 calls from residents needing support, and it’s clear that some people are really struggling to put food on the table. That’s why we’re providing extra funding to help alleviate food poverty during this crisis.”

To apply, organisations should visit https://www.greenwich-cvs.org.uk/services/development-and-support/emergency-covid-19-fund/. Closing date is midday on Monday, May 11.