At the start of the coronavirus pandemic, we announced a £125,000 fund for support local community groups in Hampshire and Berkshire who were supporting older and vulnerable people throughout the crisis.

Last month we were pleased to award the final donation to ‘A World With Friends’, an organisation based in Portsmouth that supports families with chronically sick and disabled young people.

In total, 41 organisations accessed the funding, all of which played a vital role in supporting our customers and local people in our communities through a range of local initiatives including providing replacement school meals, a domestic violence helpline, and offering a friendly voice as well as advice to help people feel more secure and less isolated during these unprecedented times.

Jonathan Cowie, Chief Operating officer at VIVID said: “Coronavirus continues to have a huge impact on many of our communities. As well as supporting our customers, particularly those who are older, self-isolating or facing financial difficulties, we also wanted to help and support the communities in which we work. We’re delighted to have worked with HIWCF to award funding to so many groups in our communities, who have provided support and been a much-needed lifeline to so many during this difficult time.”

You can find a full list of the organisations that we’ve donated funds to here.