A Sandwell day centre has been able to fund a trip to take elderly people to the beach – some for the first time in their lives – and cope with the rising cost in services thanks to a four-figure grant.
Cape Community Day Centre, based in Smethwick, has received £1,999 from the Foundation.
The centre, which has been running for 28 years, provides services for elderly people predominantly with an Afro-Caribbean background, giving them a chance to enjoy brunch, take part in activities and socialise.
A portion of the grant was used to pay for a trip to Llandudno – giving a number of clients the chance to visit the beach for the very first time. The rest of the funding will be used to cover general running costs at the centre.
Paulette Suban, support manager at Cape Community Day Centre, said: “The centre is run by a small team of volunteers and our passion is to make sure clients enjoy their golden years. But with rising overheads and a diminishing amount of funding available to us, it’s very difficult to survive.
“The grant from Heart of England Community Foundation has had a huge impact on the centre. We used part of it to fund a day trip to Llandudno. Some of our seniors had never even been to a beach before, so there were a few teary eyes as they stood on the sand for the very first time
“We will now be using the rest of the money to fund general running costs at the centre, something that is always increasing.
“So many of our clients rely on the centre to socialise and stay connected in the community, and without financial support like this we wouldn’t be able to carry on.”
Tina Costello, CEO of the Foundation, said: “We have awarded grants to some amazing organisations which have made an incredible difference in their communities.
“We hear from so many causes that are making a positive impact on people’s lives and we look forward to supporting even more in the future.”