by Joe Dale

NewsDecember 17, 20200 comments

National Lottery Funding of £96,000

Calvert Trust Exmoor has secured £96,000 of National Lottery Funding! 

The National Lottery Fund has awarded the money after a lengthy application process and it will be used to help the Trust stay open into 2021 after a devastating 2020.

The centre first closed when the pandemic hit in March and has remained shut apart from a few weeks in the autumn months before the latest Covid lockdown and tier restrictions.

Since the coronavirus crisis started the charity has restructured, sadly made redundancies, placed staff on furlough and received funding from Government grants, banks and from supporters’ donations – just to get by. 

The latest boost from the National Lottery was for just over £96,000 and came courtesy of the National Lottery Community Support Fund.

We expect the grant to see us through the winter months before doors can hopefully start opening in 2021 to celebrate our 25th anniversary. 

Even then, however, capacity is expected to remain reduced due to coronavirus restrictions and, with a waiting list of pre-paid visitors from 2020, next year is expected to be similarly challenging.

Andrew Laming, Centre Director, says…

“Our guests and clients who would normally be making genuinely lifelong memories during the spring and summer were left isolated. For many of our guests, the lockdown proved really difficult and they could not wait to return for another visit.

“Some enjoyed a short window of opportunity but now as we enter the grip of winter, schools are still banned from residentials and there is potential for yet further restrictions.

“With the charity shut for most of the spring and summer, we were unable to build up the reserves we need to help survive the continued uncertainty that faces our whole community.

“So the support from the National Lottery Community Support Fund is timely and invaluable. The staff and all the visitors of Calvert Trust Exmoor want to thank the public and the National Lottery for all the support that they give.

“Even in normal times, it is because of support like this that Calvert Trust Exmoor can exist at all. It enables memories to be made and we look forward to welcoming our friends and families back.

“The major concern is about what might happen in 2021. Calvert’s Community Endurance Project together with support from others has raised enough money to enable us to endure the hard winter months and we must look forward to next year with fresh optimism.”

It is predicted that an additional £500,000 needs to be raised to survive 2021 and beyond, due to the amounts lost in bookings because of lockdown closures. 

If you are able to support the charity please go to our donate page…

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Our thanks to all those who have supported and donated in 2020, and to the National Lottery Support Fund for their grant.