The Community Link Foundation charity has provided thousands of pounds in vital funding to help families and organisations hit hard by the Covid-19 pandemic.
The organisation raises money locally with all money spent on helping people and good causes in the Southport and West Lancashire area.
People helped include 12-year-old Southport schoolboy Lewis Wright, who is undergoing treatment for leukaemia, two-year-old Isla Rose Steel, to help her walk, and Michael Walton, to help him return home after a serious brain tumour.
Organisations which have been helped include Southport Foodbank, Queenscourt Hospice in Southport and the Rainbow Hub in Skelmersdale.
The mission of Community Link Foundation is to support and enhance the lives of those living in the local community and surrounding areas so we can not only be proud of where we live today but also ensure a positive future for the future generations to strengthen our local communities.
There are a number of ways to support the charity, including signing up to the Southport Community Lottery, or signing up for a Corporate Sponsorship.
Community Link Foundation chairperson Enda Rylands said: “It is fair to say that the last six months have been some of the most devastating that any of us have ever known.
“Many of us have been affected by Covid-19; some will have lost family and friends to this deadly virus and our thoughts are with those who have. Many will have had their business interrupted throughout this pandemic; indeed some may never recover.
“Many hundreds and thousands of people locally will have been furloughed from their job or been made redundant at a time when limited opportunities exist. The lasting effect of this unprecedented time will be felt for years to come.
“Throughout this time, the trustees of Community Link Foundation have tried to ensure that our mission to support and enhance the lives of those living in the local community and surrounding areas has been upheld.
Southport Foodbank, Homestart and Playtown Southport
“Early on in the pandemic, we recognised that many hundreds of local families were struggling with reduced income, no schooling and being in isolation. Due to this, we awarded grants of several thousands of pounds to Southport Foodbank, Homestart Southport and Formby and Playtown Southport, all of who were offering food parcels and hot meals to those families who needed it the most. These organisations provided invaluable support to so many families that we may not have been able to reach.
Staff at Playtown in Southport are cooking and delivering meals to people in need in the community during the coronavirus crisis
Rainbow Hub
“Another organisation to receive a grant from us was Rainbow Hub which provides therapy sessions to children with disabilities from their centre in Skelmersdale.
“Due to the children’s medical conditions, they had to shield at home from the beginning of the pandemic. But Rainbow Hub desperately wanted to keep in touch with them and adapted to online sessions but didn’t have enough equipment to go round.
“With a grant from Community Link Foundation they were able to purchase additional laptops and iPads which enabled them to continue these sessions online for their users.
Lewis Wright
“We have also continued to support many individuals including:
Lewis Wright, aged 12, was diagnosed with leukaemia in July. He is currently undergoing treatment at Alder Hey.
Community Link Foundation purchased a laptop for him so he can keep up with his schoolwork and also maintain contact with his family and friends whilst spending many days and weeks in hospital.
Michael Walton
“Michael Walton developed a brain tumour and had surgery 18 months ago but the surgery left him with life changing implications.
“He has remained in a high dependency unit for 22 months, unable to come home.
“His parents sold the family home and purchased a bungalow that they were going to adapt in order for Michael to come home.
“They had many offers of support to help get these works done and together with our friends at MKM Building Merchants we ensured they had all the building supplies to make this happen. “You can follow their journey on Facebook at Michaels’s Journey to Home.
Michael Walton, from Southport, with parents Roger and Margaret
Southport Athletic Junior Football Club
“Southport Athletic Junior Football Club formed earlier this year and were in need of a defibrillator which is now available whenever the club play just in case the worst should happen.
Isla Rose Steel
“Isla Rose Steel will benefit from a Hypervibe full body massage unit which will help her muscle development that will help her to walk.
Queenscourt Hospice
“Queenscourt Hospice benefitted from the delivery of six nebulisers right at the start of the pandemic which will have benefitted many of their users.
“We have been really busy over the last few months helping the community when they have needed it the most – it is thanks to your support that we have been able to help these people. Thank you.
“We have had tremendous support from EFT Systems who adopted CLF as their Charity of the Year and have done numerous fundraising activities including running a virtual 5k during lockdown to raise money for CLF and our thanks goes to them for their support.
Vapable, a retail company that supplies vapours for e-cigs, has donated £10,000 to the Community Link Foundation to help support good causes in the local area. Pictured are (from left):Enda Rylands, from CLF, Helen Leary and Tim Holland from Vapable
“We have also benefited from a generous donation from local business, Vapable.
“Many thanks to Mark Halsall and his team for this and also the support in redeveloping our website which will launch soon.
Corporate Sponsorship for 2021
“We are now renewing our corporate sponsorship for 2021 and if this is of interest to you please get in touch, the cost is £500 for the year and will include acknowledgement of your support, use of media assets which can be used to show your support, regular updates on what we are doing throughout the year, an invite for four guests to our annual lunch to celebrate all that we have achieved together.”
For more details about the Community Link Foundation please visit their website: www.clfoundation.co.uk
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