A TOTAL of £200,000 in grants have been awarded to groups and charities to ease the cost-of-living crisis.

Dorset Community Foundation has partnered with BCP Council for the BCP Food and Energy Fund to award grants to 32 projects across the conurbation.

Grounded Community in Bournemouth was given £8,400 to evolve its long-running food box scheme into a community pantry.

The charity aims to give people more choice in their food, as well as helping with meal planning, budgeting and advice on using different produce.

Since the start of this year, the charity collected and distributed 17,966kg of food and provided 1,291 food boxes to 800 adults and 283 children.

The funds will allow the charity to give more choice and an improved experience.

(Image: Dorset Community Foundation)

It’s All About Culture in Boscombe has been granted £6,500 to provide weekly multi-cultural lunches at the We Are Humans café.

Trustee Charmaine Beckles said the group has been offering lunches at £5 each but the grant will mean more people can get a hot, nutritious meal.

“We often see one person buy a meal to share with two or three others because they can’t afford a meal each, or just purchase a drink so they can stay and enjoy the company,” she said.

“This funding will mean no one needs to go hungry.”

Faithworks in Bournemouth will use an £8,149 grant to run debt advice sessions for people using foodbanks in Poole, Christchurch, Bournemouth, Boscombe and Winton.

Nick Bold, programme manager, said this would mean everyone will be offered the chance to talk with someone from its community money advice team.

A £4,000 grant has been given to Home-Start Wessex, which will be used to support homeless families with children staying in hostels in Poole and Bournemouth.

The group will assist with accessing grants and benefits, housing, good and other essentials, managing debt and skills to shop and cook on a budget and to manage budgets.

Grant Robson, Dorset Community Foundation chief executive, said: “Every project funded is making a real difference on their doorstep and thanks to this funding a great many people will eat better, feel more hopeful and be made to feel they are part of their community.”

For more information, visit the Dorset Community Foundation website.