£86,000 Handed To Island Charities By IW Foundation In 2023

Six more recipients of this year’s IW Foundation grant have been named – taking the total amount of cash given out by the charitable organisation to well over £800,000 since 2014.

The foundation, established by the companies behind Island Roads – Ringway Island Roads, Meridiam, Island Roads Services and Vinci Concessions – has distributed more than £86,000 to nine Island charities in its 2023 round of giving.

Grants of over £33,000 shared between Care in the Garden, The Way Forward and Wessex Cancer Support have already been announced and now six other good causes – sharing a further £53,000 - have also been confirmed.

They are The Phoenix Project, West Wight Men in Sheds, the IW Youth Trust, Vectis Radio 4Ps Project, Motor Neurone Disease Association IW and Ability Dogs 4 Young People.

The latest grants mean that since 2014, £827,000 has been awarded by the foundation to projects tackling social exclusion on the Island.

Rob Gillespie, chair of the Foundation’s trustees, said:

“We are proud to have gone well past the £800,000 landmark and particularly pleased that we have supported nine amazing charities in 2023.

“We know how important it is to tackle social isolation, whether it be for physical or mental reasons, and we know this money will make a real difference to Islanders’ lives.”

The projects receiving the latest donations are: 

West Wight Men in Sheds – £8,000 to update power tools and woodworking machines. The charity has converted the old changing rooms on Totland Recreational Ground, into a workshop with a kitchen and rest area. Men in Sheds promotes social inclusion and will use the money to buy trade-standard tools to replace the DIY-standard ones it currently has.

Vectis Radio 4Ps Project – £3,000 towards the costs of running the 4Ps programme which teaches young people with learning disabilities radio presentation, to build confidence and communication skills.

Phoenix Project – £16,000 for a replacement conservatory to provide a vital safe social space at its Haylands HQ. The charity meets the social, emotional, psychological and medical needs of those with moderate to severe learning disabilities. 
Motor Neurone Disease Association IW — £5,000. The charity helps those living with the degenerative disease and the funds will be used to give Islanders with MND positive and enriching activities and trips, either in the community or within their own homes with the aim of improving mental health and helping to create a wider support network for families.  

IW Youth Trust – £8,750 to partly finance the Travelling Safe Space project allowing young people facing mental health challenges to gather at different venues around the Island and to take part in a video project led by a TV and film professional.

Ability Dogs 4 Young People – £3,100 to improve IT infrastructure and buy printers for use its Sandown Airport HQ. AD4YP currently supports 50 assistance dogs for young people on the Island living with conditions such as cerebral palsy, autism, diabetes, and epilepsy, enabling them to lead fuller and more independent lives.