AFC Bournemouth's Cherries Community Fund has recently donated nearly £15,000 into the local community in the latest panel of donations.
The popular half-time Cherries Community Draw gives supporters the chance to win cash prizes while helping the local community through the Cherries Community Fund.
At each home game, supporters can purchase tickets, priced at £1, to go into the draw. The more tickets you buy, the more chance you have of winning, with all proceeds going directly into the Cherries Community Fund.
The following donations have been awarded to local causes in the area:
£1,000 donated to Harewood college to assist with funding required to purchase a top quality, lightweight racing boat. Harewood College who have formed a link with Bournemouth Rowing Club have relaunched a junior programme based around there students. After just 8 months on water, Harewood students qualified for a national final and went virtually unbeaten during the summer regattas. The college plan to purchase the boat to be able to compete on a level playing field at major rowing events.
£416 donated to Care South to assist with funding for their annual Christmas event. The event is a morning tea which is held at AFC Bournemouth for Care South residents and the club’s older generation of season ticket holders. The event gives those invited the opportunity to socialise together, and enjoy a singing performance from The Landing Girls.
£626.96 donated to Bisterne FC to help fund two portable team shelters with 8 seat benches which can be used by all the teams playing at Bisterne FC.
£900 donated to Summerwood College to purchase bikes and lockable storage for use around the local park and to undertake community cycle proficiency courses to gain road awareness, to work towards independent travel to college for students. Summerwood College is a local college for students diagnosed with autism and Asperger’s.
£804.59 donated to Reach Sports and Leisure Programme to assist with the purchase of new sports equipment. The Reach programme currently delivers over 500 activity and social sessions for people suffering with poor or severe mental health problems. The groups run weekly only ceasing over Christmas. Reach are actively developing several new groups in Boscombe, Hamworthy, Turlin Moor and Weymouth.
£1,000 donated to Verwood Town Football Club to assist with funding for 4 brand new, all-purpose durable, inflatable pop up goals for use for their younger age groups. The new goals will be shared by the teams for use indoors and outdoors, and used every week in training.
£1,000 donated to MOSAIC, to assist with the funding of counselling sessions for two families. MOSAIC who were one of the club’s nominated charities in 2016/17 are a Dorset wide charity offering a pathway of support to bereaved children, young people and their families.
£800 donated to Bournemouth Town Pastors to assist with the cost of uniforms. Bournemouth Town Pastors is a group of Christian volunteers who go out on a Saturday night from 10pm – 4am from mid-September, helping anyone in the night-time economy. Bournemouth Town Pastors assist anyone to ensure they get home safely from a night out. They give out water, flip flops, basic first aid, maps and will sweep up broken glass and remove bottles from the streets. The money donated will assist with purchasing uniforms and rucksacks.
£1,000 donated to Branksome Centre Community Hall to assist with the purchasing of new lighting. Branksome Centre Community Hall operates as a community hub. The centre currently has 5 lights that do not work in the sports hall, and another 2 that are faulty. The money donated will be used to install 10 new lights to ensure the hall is available for use during the winter months.
£1,000 donated to Wessex Warriors to assist with the funding of the 2017/18 season. Wessex Warriors are a powerchair football club with teams in the MBUK National Championship and South East Powerchair Football Regional League. The money donated will assist with travel costs to transport the powerchairs, and hotel accommodation Nottingham where the MBUK National Championships is played for 6 weeks of the year.
£1,000 donated to Hope Housing, Training and Support to assist with funding for lockable storage for the Cycle Share Scheme. Hope housing, training and support provides supported housing to homeless, vulnerable adults in Bournemouth and Poole. The cycle share scheme has been set up for residents to encourage them to be more active and improve their health and wellbeing. The residents will be able to use the bikes free of charge and will undertake maintenance with the support of volunteers.
£938.00 has been donated to The Shine Project at Dorset Rape Crisis Support Centre. The Shine project will deliver a programme of 6 workshops for 10 clients who are preparing to move on from the charities services. Titles include “Relaxation”, “Managing my wellbeing”, “Building Resilience” and “Online Safety.” The aim of the workshop is to empower clients to overcome anxiety and barriers to participation while recognising and valuing their own potential.
£1,000 donated to the Poole Refuge to assist with funding for new toys and activities for the families and children either living in refuge or in the community and experience domestic abuse. They money will assist with purchasing resources such as crafts, sensory equipment and games to run therapeutic work with the children and families.
£190 donated to the Inclusive Disability Football project run by Ferndown Leisure Centre. The project offers footballing opportunities for young people with disabilities. The money donated will cover the cost of an FA Level 1 football coaching course for additional staff members.
£1,000 donated to Lulworth and Winfrith CE VC Primary School to assist with playground re-development. The playground was last developed almost 20 years ago and funding has prevented the opportunity to improve it since then. The re-development will consist of, repainting the playground markings with interesting and active games to promote areas of physical development, collaborative play, health and well-being.
£1,000 donated to Forest Holme Hospice, to assist with the cost of 25 counselling sessions for the local residents following their diagnosis of cancer. The Forest Holme Hospice Charity helps to enhance the lives of adults from across Poole, Wimborne and the Purbecks who are facing a life limiting or terminal illness.
£1,000 donated to the Coping with CHAOS project at Diverse Abilities. Coping with CHAOS, part of Diverse Abilities, supports over 400 families by providing play opportunities every day of every school holidays for disabled children, their siblings and families. CWC also provides a youth club for 13-19 year olds with additional needs and a family support group. The donation of £1,000 will be used towards purchasing x4 tablets so that children can listen to music to stimulate, calm or reward them.
The total donated from this panel is £14,676 meaning an overall total so far, this year of £46,934 given to worthy causes!
