We are delighted to announce that we’ve received a substantial grant of £338,579 from the National Lottery over the next three years. This vital funding will allow us to continue and grow our vital Financial Inclusion project in partnership with West Cheshire Foodbank, directly supporting marginalised individuals and families in our community who are facing or at risk of financial crisis.

The project aims to empower individuals to overcome their problems, understand their rights and responsibilities, and access essential benefits and support.

We anticipate engaging with 1,500 clients who are currently relying on, or are close to needing, food bank support, in addition to our ongoing client services.

Key outcomes of this project include:

• Improved mental health and general well-being for clients
• Clients feeling more empowered to address their problems
• A better understanding of rights and responsibilities
• Increased awareness of and connection with other support services

Thanks to this funding, we expect to achieve an estimated total annual income gain of £300,000 for our clients, made up of unclaimed benefits, support funds and reduced bills.

We will also manage around £70,000 in debts and write off approximately £30,000 of debt annually.

We aim to maintain or improve the significant reduction in food bank use, building on previous success where over 37% of people no longer needed emergency food after accessing our advice.

With the expansion of the project Clare Roberts from West Cheshire Food Bank has been appointed as an Impact and Evaluation Coordinator. Clare’s aim is to identify how we can adapt to clients’ needs over time, and will gain valuable insight in how to effectively engage with the hardest to reach people. Clare will also explore new ways of measuring clients’ well-being and their experience of our support.

Findings from this work will be shared widely with the Local Authority, West Cheshire Food Partnership, the Poverty Truth Advisory Board, the Mental Health Alliance, and Cheshire West Voluntary Action, as well as being valuable for Citizens Advice nationally and shared on our local website.

This National Lottery funding will enable us to continue providing essential services, reaching those who need us most, and making a tangible difference in the lives of individuals and families across the region.