We love hearing how Just Straight Talk have helped people overcome barriers and developed their skills.
Living alone with her cat and guinea pig, Clare has zero access to the internet. Before the lockdown she relied heavily on the library for accessing information.
On a tight budget it was discovered that a large amount of it was being spent on her pets. The guinea pig was certainly eating more fresh salad and vegetables than her! Just Straight Talk (JST) suggested that she could start growing her own, she was apprehensive but keen to give it a whirl.
She was given a seed tray, some compost, and some seeds – she even bought a couple more packs with her own money, an investment!
Regularly in contact with JST she was delighted that her seeds were growing, and this was timed perfectly with the charity receiving a grant from the Foundation’s Coronavirus Resilience Fund. Claire was the ideal recipient of some additional money to really give her vegetable garden the push it deserved!
£21 later and Clare was equipped with tools, more compost and seeds to grow her own yard! She was beaming with pride at the way her garden was developing; so much so she’s enquired about volunteering at a local community garden centre and getting her own allotment.
Shona Gilsenan from JST said:
“This money was intended to help her through the struggle of isolation due to living alone and being cut off from the outside world, to give her a hobby that would keep her busy and also to enable her to save money on what she spends on food for the guinea pig, so she can afford food for herself.
“But this money has given all of that and more, it has given her confidence, ambition and skills she can use for life and I am very excited about where this opportunity can lead.”
Tina Costello, Foundation CEO, said:
“It’s these little stories that show just how important our funding is. It doesn’t take millions to positively affect lives in our communities. Good luck to Clare and her garden!”
To apply for the Foundation’s Coronavirus Resilience Fund please click here.