We make small cash grants to Swindon residents within a few days of being asked. These are made through trusted local partner organisations that are engaged in supporting people in Swindon.
Our small grants are intended to provide relief to individuals and families who are going through a particularly difficult period in their lives and/or whose financial hardship is severely affecting their prospects.
We only give grants for things for which the state and larger charities do not provide, and are mindful that our donors and the Charity Commission need to be comfortable with where our funds are going.
We do this by pooling donations from compassionate local people and charitable trusts. We then make small grants to Swindon residents in financial hardship.
Swindon Hardship Fund is apolitical and open to all, regardless of age; disability; gender reassignment; marriage and civil partnership; pregnancy and maternity; race; religion or belief; sex and sexual orientation.
We do not maintain staff or a premises so that we can direct as much support as possible to individuals experiencing severe financial hardship in our town.
In 2022:
92% of grants were urgent or very urgent.
72% of our beneficiaries were single parents.
76% of our beneficiaries were between the ages of 16 and 35 years
Recently the majority of grant applicants have been women with children, fleeing or recovering from domestic abuse.
Currently around 20% of those who receive a grant do not have a fixed address.
Grants vary greatly but have included living expenses (other essentials, food, fuel, bus fayre, medicine, glasses), rent and household bills, bedding, flooring, beds, mattresses and furniture. A specialist pram for child with complex needs, train cost to a mother’s funeral, amongst other examples.