Charities have been given a welcome boost this Christmas after benefitting from grants handed out by their regional newspapers.

A number of organisations were awarded donations by the Gannett Foundation, which are made on behalf of publishers Newsquest Media Group.

This included Herts Mind Network, which provides mental health services across Hertfordshire. It received £4,950 to help fund their invaluable work in the region.

It put forward its application based on the desire to create and equip a purpose-built workshop for a weekly woodwork group for adults experiencing mental ill health.

Clare Rennett, head of growth and development at Herts Mind Network, explained how the group would be aimed at men over 50 who are experiencing mental ill health or are at risk of developing mental health difficulties due to redundancy, retirement, bereavement, and social isolation.

She said: “The project will enable men to understand and improve their mental health and emotional wellbeing and gain support from peers.

“They will have the opportunity to express themselves by taking part in creative activities producing various crafts, planters and bird boxes as well as upcycling and recycling unwanted garden furniture and household items.” 

This was one of 68 projects chosen by the trustees who narrowed down the list of applications to those which they thought would “deliver the most worthwhile practical benefits to communities served by Newsquest’s local news brands”.

Watford-based charity New Hope, which helps homeless people find accommodation and, in turn, seeks to transform their lives, was another to benefit.

It received £5,000, which it will put towards the costs of delivering training and educational opportunities for those who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.  

Joe Meehan, fundraising officer at New Hope, explained how it will go a long way towards helping it develop a specific training college so that homeless people can get back into work and into privately rented accommodation.

He said: “This will provide people with useful, transferrable skill which they can make use of in the future.

“In the short term, this grant gives us the funds we need to start working from the get go – it will make a huge difference.”

Simon Westrop, chairman of the trustees, said they were pleased to be able to give to “some exciting projects making people’s lives better in all sorts of ways”.

He added: “If your application did not succeed this time, please don’t be discouraged, but look at the applications that have won grants and think how you can come up with even better ideas next year.”