Voluntary and community organisations supported by Camden Resilience Fund
Camden Council is providing support to local voluntary and community sector (VCS) organisations to help sustain their work in the borough for years to come.
This October, 35 organisations have been granted a share of Camden’s £500,000 VCS Resilience Fund, to help address immediate risks to their operations in the short term and make changes to increase their organisation’s sustainability in the longer term.
Following an application process earlier this year, a range of voluntary and community projects were successful – including mental health and young people’s charities, community centres, community sports organisations, and those supporting residents in the cost-of-living crisis.
Third Age Project was one of the recipients of a Resilience Fund grant in 2023. The charity supports residents over the age of 60 to access crucial services and overcome barriers they may be facing such as poverty, language, culture, and poor health. Their Resilience Fund was used to upgrade their IT systems, recruit a new chair of trustees, and ensure a strong handover of new leadership with the outgoing manager.
Naomi Nehemen Palacios, General Manager of Third Age Project, said: “We are incredibly grateful for Camden Council’s support, which will allow us to enhance our services and create more opportunities for our older residents. This funding is a vital step towards fostering a stronger, more connected community in Regent’s Park Estate.”
The Pirate Castle also received a share of the Resilience Fund. They run canoeing, kayaking, and canal boating activities on Regent’s Canal with dedicated sessions for people with special educational needs and disabilities, and subsidised or free activities for children and young people.
Kal Webb, Development Manager at The Pirate Castle, said: “Thanks to Camden’s VCS Resilience Fund, we've been able to focus on increasing visibility, broadening our reach and diversifying our client base to stimulate service uptake and earnings and create more reliable revenue streams for the longer-term – all of which are vital to increasing our charity’s resilience and financial sustainability.”
Voluntary and community sector organisations play a crucial role in supporting residents in Camden. However, many of these organisations need support themselves as they face ongoing challenges - such as navigating the cost-of-living crisis.
I’m pleased that the Resilience Fund can help them overcome short-term needs and make long-term changes so they can continue delivering services and supporting residents for many years to come. It’s fantastic to see such a variety of organisations receive funding and we aim to support more in the future.
The VCS Resilience Fund 2024 is one programme within Camden’s overall VCS Investment Programme, investing £4 million per year into local organisations. Applications closed in June 2024. In 2025, a new Organisation Foundations Fund will be designed.
Find out more about other support available to VCS organisations on our website.