Mel Saggs had the opportunity to interview Alex Murray, lead for Watford and three rivers trust (W3rt) who told all on how they’re helping the local community thrive during difficult times and how you can help.
At W3rt Alex is in charge of supporting around 700 local charities in Watford making sure they get the support they need to make a meaningful impact. However, due to the difficulties of COVID 19, cost of living and a lack of volunteers there is a higher demand for these charities with ‘less and less resources.’
Alex tells Mel that despite these problems they’re working on solutions with ‘the lottery and the community funder there as great options for charities’
what does the community fund do? ‘Support projects that help with the cost of living not only your traditional issues like the food banks also around mental health, social isolation, helping keep people warm in the winter.’
What is the Watford community lottery? An exciting weekly lottery that helps raise money for local charities and good causes across the town that benefit Watford and its residents.
How does the Watford community lottery contribute to the fund? ‘The websites online, every ticket sold from the lottery 10p of that funding will go to the Watford community fund.’ Tickets are £1 each. You can also ‘select a specific charity to support the lottery or you can support the community fund generally. If you select the community fund 60p from every ticket sold goes to that, you will then be supporting a real range of charities’
last year they supported around 25 different charities and the Watford community fund awarded £52,750 to organisations including West Hearts hospital charity, the local food bank to purchase food, a jazz festival to allow them to put on a free festival in Oxhey, Home-Start Watford in three rivers and many more. W3rt notice the impact of their work not only on a major level but also on individuals as a report from Caudwell youth showed that from work possible due to funding, a young person no longer carrying knives. Alex continues to emphasis how it is ‘your funding that allows this work to continue.’
Support Vibe Radio! As part of the community lottery you can help support Vibe in bringing music, local news and events to the town. Working to connect, inform and entertain building up the community, Vibe107.6FM supports local talent and creates a safe, encouraging environment for local voices to be heard. We need your help to continue this mission and expand our services further, so why not help a good cause and support Vibe by playing the community lottery!
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