GroupsImpactNewsOCFIsolation and Loneliness projects funded in 2021

The pandemic has created additional isolation and loneliness for many sectors of the community, leading to further mental health issues for some.  Projects funded will help with recovery from the adverse consequences of the pandemic and lockdowns, with grants totalling over £223,000 awarded to 48 organisations.   

A full list of all the groups supported by this round of grants is given below.

Grants were awarded from our Community Resilience Fund, set up at the start of the pandemic, as well as from Oxfordshire County Council’s contain Outbreak Management Fund (COMF). By partnering with the County Council, this further generous donation enabled us to fund many more projects.

Many people were forced to become more isolated and consequently lonely because of the pandemic. Covid-19 caused much anxiety in the population, which has had a detrimental effect on mental health. Multiple lockdowns and self isolation have caused many people to become disconnected from society. Regaining confidence to meet up with friends and neighbours and for familiar activities to restart is essential to alleviating isolation and loneliness. OCF sought applications from organisations that were restarting activities or events to provide opportunities for people to get together or providing the resources to encourage people to access activities outside the home.

Yellow Submarine is a significant provider of dedicated learning disability services for adults and young people in Oxfordshire. Their adult services are 100% funded by fundraising. Their grant will be used to fund their Oxford Launchpad – weekly social club sessions for adult members. They want to help as many of their 18+ members as possible to maintain the social contacts they have made during term-time, as well as providing respite to families or carers. By challenging their members, as well as simply offering a fun social time, Yellow Submarine helps to build experience, resilience and confidence in its members.

The Maple Tree aims to help young families, in Wheatley and the surrounding area, to have the best start in life together. Successive lockdowns and anxiety associated with the pandemic more generally have resulted in a cohort of parents who have missed out on support from professional services and peers, and opportunities to make friends. Their babies and young children have missed key socialisation, development and learning experiences. They have had babies screaming inconsolably when they have come into a group situation for the first time. This project will enable The Maple Tree to run a regular weekly group for new parents to develop their confidence and skills.

OCF are now planning our grants for 2022, look out for new rounds opening in January

List of grants made in OCF’s COVID-19 grants round for Isolation and Loneliness
Group Funded
Project Name
Primary Beneficiary
Number Of Beneficiaries
Amount Awarded
Location of group (Parliamentary Constituency)
Abingdon Damascus Youth Project
Tackling Loneliness – the Intergenerational Way
Older people
                                      300
 £                   7,520
Wantage
Aldates Community Transformation Initiatives
ACT’s street outreach and Monday meals
Men and/or boys
                                      200
 £                   5,319
Oxford East
Archway Foundation
Post covid and reconnections
Older people
                                      300
 £                   9,922
Oxford East
Asylum Welcome
Reducing loneliness and isolation for refugees and asylum seekers
People from a particular minority ethnic or racial origin
                                      570
 £                10,000
Oxford East
Banbury Rugby Football Club Ltd
Banbury walking program
Older people
                                        60
 £                   4,800
Banbury
Banbury Young Homelessness Project
Mental Wealth Academy
People living with mental health problems
                                      105
 £                   6,500
Banbury
Barracks Lane Community Garden
Growing Wellbeing
Older people
                                        50
 £                   1,000
Oxford East
BeFree Young Carers
Young Carers Mental Health Resilience Program
People living with mental health problems
                                        60
 £                10,000
Wantage
Berin Centre
Creating Connection projects
Older people
                                        40
 £                   8,475
Henley
Chinnor Village Centre
Chinnor Friendship Club (Day Care)/Stroke Club/Forget Me Knot Cafe
People living in rural areas
                                      100
 £                   2,000
Henley
Cholsey Day Centre Trust
Cholsey Day Centre Outreach Worker
Older people
                                        50
 £                   9,000
Wantage
Cutteslowe Community Association
Cutteslowe Community Association Seniors
Older people
                                        30
 £                   3,100
Oxford West and Abingdon
Farm Ability
Growing Connected Communities
People living with learning disabilities
                                      168
 £                   6,009
Oxford East
Gatehouse
Casework Team 1 to 1 support service
Men and/or boys
                                      250
 £                   5,000
Oxford West and Abingdon
Grove Parochial Church Council, St John the Baptist Grove – GroW Families
Additional two toddler groups per week
Families/parents
                                      350
 £                   3,000
Wantage
Jewins Women2Women Ltd
Bringing back life
People from a particular minority ethnic or racial origin
                                        20
 £                   5,760
Oxford East
Kidlington & District Information Centre
Kidlington Good Neighbour Scheme
Older people
                                      110
 £                   1,244
Oxford West and Abingdon
Leys CDI
The Clockhouse Project – Finding those in need and reaching out to reduce loneliness and isolation
Older people
                                      150
 £                   3,950
Oxford East
Maymessy Community Interest Company
Cooking club
Families/parents
                                        16
 £                   7,345
Wantage
Millstream Day Centre
Millstream Operation
Older people
                                        40
 £                   1,000
Henley
Nettlebed Good Neighbours Scheme
Community Coffee Morning, Luncheon Club and Community Shopping Bus
Older people
                                      100
 £                   2,660
Henley
Oxford Hub
Bridge Builders and Peer to Peer
Older people
                                  5,570
 £                   5,000
Oxford East
Oxford Paddlers for Life
Oxford Paddlers for Life annual running costs
People living with mental health problems
                                        51
 £                   3,539
Oxford East
Oxfordshire Association For The Blind
Core work
Older people
                                  1,600
 £                   9,977
Oxford East
Oxfordshire Chinese Community & Advice Centre
Support for isolated, lonely and vulnerable non-English speaking Chinese in Oxfordshire
People from a particular minority ethnic or racial origin
                                  1,014
 £                   5,000
Oxford East
Oxfordshire Play Association
Oxford City Street Play Project
Families/parents
                                      250
 £                   8,179
Oxford East
Pennyhooks Farm Trust
Post-Pandemic Expansion of Activites at Pennyhooks Care Farm
People living with mental health problems
                                        30
 £                   5,000
Wantage
Riverside Counselling Service
Riverside Hope Project
People living with mental health problems
                                        10
 £                   5,475
Henley
Root and Branch
Recovery planning, pastoral care and crisis support
People living with mental health problems
                                        30
 £                   7,800
Wantage
Shed Oxford
Erection of new shed
Older people
                                        20
 £                   2,940
Oxford West and Abingdon
Silver Threads Club
Multiple Activities
Older people
                                        20
 £                   2,000
Banbury
Sport in Mind
Sport in Mind Oxford
People living with mental health problems
                                        40
 £                   1,000
Oxford East
Stonehill Community Garden
Cooking and Eating Together: The Stonehill Community Garden Rocket Stove Project
People living with mental health problems
                                        35
 £                      480
Oxford West and Abingdon
Sunshine Centre
Being me
Families/parents
                                      108
 £                   5,100
Banbury
Sustainable Wantage
Mindfulness courses for wellbeing support
People living with mental health problems
                                        60
 £                   1,655
Wantage
Syrian Community in Oxfordshire SYRCOX
Covid Re-Build
Men and/or boys
                                  1,500
 £                   4,000
Oxford East
Syrian Sisters
Syrian Sisters Wellbeing Project
Women and/or girls
                                      125
 £                   1,040
Oxford East
Tandem in Oxfordshire
Tandem
People living with mental health problems
                                        38
 £                   7,500
Oxford East
The Maple Tree
Social steps
Families/parents
                                        50
 £                   2,244
Henley
The Motherkind Café
Tackling isolation and loneliness for new mothers in Oxfordshire 2022
Families/parents
                                      950
 £                   2,000
Oxford East
The Parasol Project
Northway Community Partnership
Families/parents
                                  1,500
 £                   4,000
Oxford East
The Pump House Project
Crafty Crew and beyond
People living with mental health problems
                                      690
 £                   2,608
Wantage
Trinity Church Abingdon
Mitigation of Covid-related isolation and loneliness
Older people
                                        49
 £                   1,000
Oxford West and Abingdon
UCARE (Oxford)
Cancer Support Service For Young Men
Men and/or boys
                                      500
 £                   3,432
Oxford East
Vale Community Impact
Befriending to rebuild confidence and offer purpose
Older people
                                      300
 £                   2,000
Wantage
Waste2taste,Ltd
Supported volunteering and training at Waste2Taste
People living with mental health problems
                                        20
 £                   9,446
Oxford East
Witney Day Centre
Exercise sessions
Older people
                                        48
 £                   2,600
Witney
Yellow Submarine
Oxford Launchpad
People living with learning disabilities
                                        50
 £                   4,500
Oxford East