Countrymen UK is one of many grassroots groups and charities set to benefit from the community fund.
Published: June 21, 2023 | Updated: 20th June 2023
Hunt’s Food Group, which supplies food and catering across the South from its Sherbourne headquarters, has joined forces with Dorset Community Foundation to support local groups and charities.
Together they have set up the Hunt’s Food Group Community Fund, with three guiding aims – to relieve poverty and disadvantage, improve mental health and wellbeing, and invest in the next generation.
It’s already off to a strong start as five charities in Dorset and Somerset have been pledged a combined share of more than £130,000, to be spread out over the next three years.
Among them is Treads in Blandford Forum, who received a grant worth £26,250.
The group offers young people a safe, welcoming space to discuss their mental health and wellbeing, with its team of volunteers running a support drop-in as well as regularly visiting schools and youth groups.
Senior youth leader Libby Lloyd said: “This grant is great because it gives us certainty and helps us to plan ahead.
“Knowing we have this money for the next three years will mean we can staff all of our groups and prepare for the work we do in schools.”
Also benefitting from the new initiative is Countrymen UK, which invites former farmworkers who have been diagnosed with dementia to its farm in Sherbourne.
There they can get stuck back into life on the farm while mixing with like-minded people.
Julie Plumley, the group’s director, said: “The grant will help us to continue growing our Dorset club and making sure that everyone is aware of the offer through better publicity.
“Considering the increase in energy prices and costs this will be particularly beneficial.
“We are also hoping to restart our carers group this summer after it stopped during Covid. The ladies have requested this and we know from before Covid the benefits of sharing experiences.”
Dorset Community Foundation regularly forms partnerships like this one, which together have helped the team funnel £13 million in grants towards good causes since 2020.
Director Grant Robson added: “We are really thankful for this partnership with Hunt’s.
“The company has always shown a real commitment to supporting the community and this fund is more evidence of that.
“I’m so pleased that our expertise and knowledge of the voluntary sector will help the company’s generosity make a real difference to people.”
