Thanks to the Foundation’s Surviving Winter Campaign a project in Sandwell combatting loneliness in south Asian women has been awarded a grant to help it expand.
The Aman Group brings together Asian women aged 40 or older with a Pakistani, Indian or Bangladeshi background to socialise at four libraries within Sandwell.
And the project, run by ‘Breakthru CIC’, was awarded £1,000 by the Foundation so it can reach more women.
The money will go towards starting the Aman Group in two new areas in Sandwell, and Breakthru CIC is hoping to expand the project into other areas in the West Midlands in the near future.
Victoria Breakwell, of Breakthru CIC, said:
“We were absolutely delighted when the Heart of England Community Foundation awarded us a £1,000 grant to expand the Aman Group.
“We’re always looking for extra funding, so this was a great boost to the project.
“Since we started running the Aman Group two years ago, we’ve increased the membership from 20 ladies to over 200 regular attendees – and the oldest lady is 96 years old.
“And we’re still aiming to expand into areas outside of Sandwell. This funding will help us get there.”
The money to fund the project came from the Foundation’s ‘Surviving Winter’ fund – which aims to support vulnerable people all over the West Midlands.
Tina Costello, CEO of the Heart of England Community Foundation, said:
“Breakthru CIC was exactly the kind of organisation the funds raised for the Surviving Winter campaign should be going to.
“Their application was very strong – we really liked what they are doing to improve the lives of south Asian women in Sandwell and we were very impressed with the increase in membership,
“The Surviving Winter campaign aims to help those affected by isolation, homelessness and food poverty, and the Aman Group’s work in getting women together who might not otherwise have been able to meant they were a great choice for funding.
“This money should help the group expand and reach more women who might need their services. We hope the project will continue to go from strength to strength.”
The Foundation’s Surviving Winter campaign is open until 20th March 2019, if you’d like to contribute please click here.