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COVID-19 recovery fund

20th April 2021

We are proud to announce the launch of the largest fund in our 31-year history. Our £100,000 post COVID-19 recovery fund will be dedicated to helping local schools improve the mental and physical well-being and educational outcomes of pupils affected by the pandemic.

Following a return to the classroom, schools have reported concern for pupils’ wellbeing including a delay to their physical, mental and emotional development after more than a year of disruption. The pandemic has caused a rise in mental health concerns with children displaying signs of anxiety not experienced pre-pandemic. Younger children have missed opportunities to develop their fine motor skills, such as writing, and children of all ages have lacked the social interaction needed to develop important communication skills.

Stories of children returning to school hungry or without appropriate footwear or clothing are heart breaking as families struggle to cope financially following changes to their employment.

With the reported negative impact the pandemic will have on the life chances of our children, Stevenage Community Trust has pledged this £100,000 to begin the recovery for our young people, the future of Stevenage.

45 schools across Stevenage and the surrounding villages have been asked to consider the greatest need amongst their pupils resulting from the current crisis and invited to apply to the Trust for funding to help address these concerns. A fast-track application process has been created to ensure urgent requests for help are considered quickly and efficiently and schools receive the funding they need without delay.

First to receive a grant from this fund is Barclay Academy who were awarded £500 to support student’s mental health. Rachel Buttress, Emotional Wellbeing lead at Barclay said ‘We are extremely grateful to Stevenage Community Trust for their support, this funding will contribute to our on-going commitment to helping our students develop healthy habits particularly around mental health, we hope to empower our students and encourage everyone to promote this, helping to end the stigma attached to mental health.’

Chairman of Stevenage Community Trust, Robert Stewart said ‘This £100,000 Covid-19 Recovery Fund was an idea inspired by our President Ken Follett which has evolved to cover all those local school pupils in urgent need of our help.’

To help every child living locally who has been adversely affected by the pandemic many more funds will be needed and we are calling on local people to help them to achieve this by donating to this appeal. The Trust is running the appeal at zero cost meaning every penny received will help to make a difference to a child’s future.

To donate, please visit www.virginmoneygiving.com/fund/covid-recovery-fund