A CHARITY has sent a message of thanks to Echo readers for their response to the paper’s Put In A Pound appeal to help keep the elderly and vulnerable warm and safe.

We are asking readers to donate £1 to the appeal, which is raising money for Dorset Community Foundation’s Surviving Winter campaign, which is now in its 13th year.

The campaign works with Citizens Advice to fund £200 fuel grants pensioners and vulnerable people aged 50 and over living in fuel poverty, as well as providing help with benefits and energy saving advice from the charity’s advisors.

Tom Flood CBE, the community foundation’s chair of trustees, said: “We are very grateful to everyone who has donated so far. Despite these difficult times it is heartening to see people thinking of others and sparing some money.”

The community foundation, which was founded 22 years ago and supports hundreds of grass roots charities and voluntary groups across the county with grants every year, matches donors with causes they care about and is Dorset’s largest county-based funder.

The grants can make a huge difference to older people, who often skip meals to save money because they are scared of large heating bills.

Pat Turkiss, 83, said before having the grant she used to fear putting on the heating for long and just kept one room warm. “There were days when I used to think ‘shall I have a hot meal or shall I have the heating on?’,” she said.

“I’m very frugal and I try to keep my bills as low as I can. I worry that this winter is going to be a real trial because everything is going up.

She said: “My daughter is very good to me but I still worry a lot about the bills. I just have the heating on for a couple of hours and I make sure I am wearing plenty of layers and woolly socks. I can’t move around as much now so I’m sat in the same chair most of the day.”

Mr Flood said: “We have seen demand for our Surviving Winter grants surge this year because of the rise in bills and the Cost of Living Crisis and stories like Pat’s are sadly not rare any more. That’s why we are so thankful to the Echo for its support.”

How to donate:

There are several ways you can donate.

Online at https://dorsetcommunityfoundation.enthuse.com/donate or by scanning the QR code (see below)

By post, with cheques made payable to Dorset Community Foundation, to The Spire, High Street, Poole BH15 1DF

n Find out more about the work of Dorset Community Foundation at dorsetcommunityfoundation.org