Grants To Charities Hit £1M Landmark

The Association of Jersey Charities has now dished out more than £1 million in grants over the last financial year.

11 applicants received a share of £226,129 in the latest round of funding.

They were:

• Société Jersiaise - £50,000 to help fund La Cotte de St Brelade conservation project
• Autism Jersey - £30,000 to help funding of new fundraising events and awareness manager
• Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust - £30,000 to help fund the Durrell Schools Education programme and Jersey Zookeeper talk programme
• Caring Cooks - £30,000 towards salaries
• Abbeyfield Jersey Society - £25,000 for new lift for residential home
• 7 Overseas (Jersey) Squadron Air Training Corps -£18,139.00 for purchase of cockpit kayaks and a trailer
• Jersey Rescue Dogs – £14,000 towards the purchase of a new Ford Transit van for transporting the dogs locally and fundraising
• Jersey Biodiversity Centre - £13,740 for salary of a part time education and outreach officer
• Jersey Hospice Care - £7,250.00 for cost of non-invasive ultrasonic bladder scanner
• Jersey Marine Conservation Society – £5,000 towards the cost of new larger R.I.B.
• Jersey Eating Disorder Support - £3,000 for operational expenses

44 funding requests from 42 charities have been approved over the last 12 months, resulting in £1,100,740.58 being awarded.

Earlier donations have created new jobs including an NSPCC therapist to help sexually abused children rebuild their lives, a neuro-physiotherapist and a sacro-cranial therapist to work with islanders affected by a brain injury.

It's also helped 60 families with their monthly groceries and improved the visitor experience at Jersey Museum.

AOJC administrator, Lyn Wilton, is delighted to reach the million pound landmark.

"It's wonderful, that was made up mostly of lottery profits, although we do have some ad-hoc donations of our own. It was really good to be able to distribute all of the profits.

"We do ask for impact reports so we like to see what outcomes have come from the grants that we produce. Seeing the end results in reports and photographs is just wonderful."

Each year, the Association receives the Jersey Share of the Channel Islands' lottery profits from the Economic development department, which it then distributes to members.