May 2020

Supporting our Local Community and Businesses during the Covid-19 crisis

At our May Core Group Meeting, we agreed to make further funds available to our chosen organisations.  We felt that larger sums to a few organisatons would be the most effective way to help them over the coming months.

STRA has now made a commitment of four thousand pounds to each to the local organisations below.  Each play a vital role in our wider community but are struggling in the current environment. Full details of their services and role in the community can be found on their websites.

The Manna Society  (Running a Day Centre for homeless people near London Bridge) - https://www.mannasociety.org.uk/

Southwark Foodbank (Helping local people in crisis)  https://southwark.foodbank.org.uk/

SE1 News – (Community Website) - https://www.london-se1.co.uk/news/cat/1

Compass School, Southwark - Compass Hardship Fund and for laptops - (A fund to support disadvantaged pupils through this challenging time.)  https://www.justgiving.com/campaign/compassschoolcommunity?success=true

We have also made a donation of one thousand pounds to Southwark News, who while providing free advertising to struggling local businesses are themselves struggling. https://www.southwarknews.co.uk/contribute/  We hope we may be able to increase this in the coming months, dependent upon our fundraising.

At our Core Group Meeting on 1 April 2020, we agreed the following criteria for making donations from your contributions to our funds:

Funds will be allocated across the following four main themes:

• Vulnerable homeless people
• Struggling families and single parents
• Disadvantaged pupils and students
• At risk community-based organisations

1. Awardees must have a proven track record of delivering services and benefits to their recipients
2. Funds will be made available in tranches of £1,000, and situations kept under close review
3. A flexible and pragmatic approach will allow a rapid response to be made to local situations as they arise and change
4. Liaison with local Councillors will help us to ensure your funds are allocated as needs dictate
5. Awardees will be requested to provide a short report on the impact your funds have made to them – these reports will be published on the STRA website
6. STRA network members are invited to suggest organisations and groups which would benefit from funding, and the STRA core group will ensure that each such proposal received is given serious consideration

STRA is the recipient of funds from the Southwark Film Office.  When filming takes place in the area, STRA regularly receives a voluntary donation.  These funds are then used for the benefit of the local community, according to the STRA Constitution and the Southwark Film Office guidelines.

To date we have made donations to:

• The Manna Society
• Picture Shad Thames competition
• Update of Shad Thames Trail
• Additional street cleaning at weekends and evenings
• Big Lunch
• Tower Bridge Primary School
• Gainsford Street Nursery