Edgbaston Neighbourhood Network Scheme has been working with the Heart of England Community Foundation, supporting Edgbaston’s response to COVID-19 in distributing the ‘Emergency Food and Assistance’ grant.
‘Home from Hospital Care’, is one such charity who have received this grant. The team are using it to provide food and fuel vouchers to those discharged from hospital and living in Edgbaston.
Dawn, Fundraising Officer at Home from Hospital Care, made the application which she says she found easy, complimenting the website and support from their local NNS development worker.
One month after the application, Home from Hospital Care had received the funding, and were able start helping people.
‘It’s going pretty well so far’, says Rosalind Ejenavi, Fundraiser at Home from Hospital Care. The grant has allowed them to support two more people in Edgbaston in the last two weeks.
Brian (not his real name) was discharged from hospital into temporary accommodation after deteriorating health issues alongside his contraction of COVID-19. However, he has quite complex needs, including an eating disorder, and financial difficulties. 
Thanks to the extra funding, Home from Hospital Care has been able to provide Brian with free, tailored food parcels. The fact they cost him nothing and allowed him to choose what he received has been, as Rosalind puts it, a ‘lifeline for him’.
Brian now feels less worried whilst he recovers from COVID-19 and is being supported in making longer term support and accommodation plans.
‘COVID has made people feel so anxious about how they are going to meet their basic needs’ Rosalind noted, who said she hoped this grant would give people the ‘sense that there is support there’.
Funding is still available for groups in Edgbaston and Northfield, with the extended deadline for applications now falling on the 23rd April 2021. Contact Marc Baggott at M.Baggott@gatewayfs.org to find out more on how to apply, and what guidance Edgbaston Neighbourhood Network Scheme can provide.
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