First Act is an amazing and heart-warming charity. They meet weekly at Sandown and Shanklin Rugby Club. The members participate in theatre workshops which builds into the companies bi-annual performances at Shanklin Theatre.

The members that attend First Act have a variety of disabilities including: Visual impairment, hearing impairment, physical impairment, mental impairment, invisible disabilities, cognitive and/or learning disabilities. In addition to theatrical workshops, First Act take members to St. Catherines School where they design, create and build props and costumes for the shows.

First Act have produced 2 shows a year since 1994 but they have now extended their show days to 3, in hope to draw more attention and build their reputation further in the local community.

The supportive environment builds towards the development of members confidence, pride, work ethic, enhanced social and communication skills, plus an overall sense of achievement. They are very proud of the work they produce and perform, often leaving audiences amazed by the talents that are discovered and brought to the fore.

“The WightAid grant will ensure the show will be an imaginative experience, with the cast taking on their biggest production to date. The stage will be full of colour, vibrant costumes and detailed sets. Complemented with an original script and array of music.”

Lottie Laidler. Project Co-ordinator

This is the organisation that manages the annual ‘Royal Isle of Wight Agricultural Society County Show’.

WightAid funded their ‘Education Day’ for the Island’s Primary School pupils. The grant enabled them to offer free transport to all Primary schools, where in the past not all schools had the funds to attend.

The children were able to experience and participate in a range of things at the County Ground such as woodland sessions, pigs, sheep, cattle, horses, crafts, tractors, sports and horticulture, free of charge.

Emma Bloomfield. Show Organiser said:

“ It was so wonderful to be able to bring all primary school pupils to the Show, they found it fascinating and had a fun filled, but also educational day.”

Sight for Wight has two core aims:

• To support Isle of Wight residents living with ‘Sight Loss’ to reduce isolation, live safely, independently and confidentially.
• To educate people to prevent avoidable sight loss.

They exist to support blind and partially sighted Isle of Wight residents through their entire ‘Sight Loss’ journey. Currently they support 782 individual members with on average 412 individual interactions per week with members.

They interact with blind and partially sighted people in many ways, regardless of their level of ‘Sight Loss’. By finding out about their aims and goals and then work with them to achieve them. There are no tests or certifications needed, if you need help, there is no charge to become a member of Sight for Wight, but members pay for activities where outside costs are incurred. We don’t say no if someone asks for something, and we cannot help directly we will find a way.

Lisa Hollyhead said:

“As CEO my sole aim is to continue to manage this huge growth of service provision and we need to find funds to help us do this. WightAid’s grant will enable us to run a range of activities, including our ‘Be Wise to your Eyes’ project, which will educate every Isle of Wight primary school child in protecting their eyes and how they can help those already living with less vision.”

This charity’s aim is to make all Island men aged 40 to 90 and their families aware of Prostate Cancer and what support and advice is available to them, through awareness days, advertising and presentations.

The Group supports Island men through regular PSA testing Island wide, a wellbeing package and an aftercare service for those with Prostate Cancer. The Group continues to offer, for free, a wellbeing package which includes; one to one counselling, yoga, exercise programs, monthly members meetings and help with continence pads for men after any operation.

“We are very grateful for WightAid’s grant support which will help fund our scheduled testing programmes, to test all Island men by a PSA blood test using NHS trained Phlebotomists and a Consultant who views the results and contacts participants. WightAid recognises how vital this testing is and that it can save lives.”

Said Geoffrey Waddington, Treasurer.

The Isle of Wight falls within the two most at risk deciles of the University of Southampton food insecurity risk index.

Both structural food insecurity (factors measured include bus stops, distances to employment / food stores and internet speeds) and compositional food insecurity (includes benefit claimants, low income, mental health and educational attainment).

IW Pantries support low income families and households across the Isle of Wight to gain easy access to good quality and healthy food. In so doing reduce health inequalities and obesity. This support reduces the effects of low income and poverty through paying a fixed membership price rather than pay for individual items and so saving up to £20 per week from their food costs. Members pay £5.00 and they get at least £15.00 worth of food. This is a dignified way of accessing food at reduced costs.

Their aim is to create a sustainable and social system, improve food security and reduce the carbon footprint of surplus food on the Isle of Wight through the development of a local surplus food distribution centre which will remove the need for surplus food to be taken back to the mainland, therefore reducing the carbon footprint.

Monique Gallop, Director said:

“The WightAid grant will enable us to buy food to be distributed throughout the Island. Through the pantries we aim to generate increased community spirit, friendships and reduce isolation. By using ethical food sources, they will also tackle issues of surplus and environmental damage”.

Arreton Community Centre is the charity responsible for the maintenance of the Community Hall and the services it provides as a community asset. Their mission is to offer a well maintained, welcoming and disability-friendly space for use by different types of groups and activities as well as all types of family celebrations.

The hall attracts a wide and varied number of users, dancers, community lunches for the elderly, the Parish Council meetings, the Parkinson’s group, family history group, model aeroplane club, Austin Car admirers… the list is endless.

The Centre’s Simon Dodson said:

“The hall is a vital hub for the community but it was built 40 years ago and a fire risk assessment identified we no longer comply with modern fire regulations and advised that we needed a L2 fire alarm installed and fire doors. WightAid came to our rescue to urgently fund the installations so the community could continue to use the hall safely”

Revive is a drop-in café for teenagers (13-19). They get to know the young people and aim to work towards wholeness for individuals, making a difference in all aspects of life; material, emotional, social, financial, environmental and spiritual provide a helped provide new uniforms for Newport Youth Café.

The grant will enable their growing team to be recognised as they walk around Newport up to four times a week to connect with young people who have nowhere else to go and invite them to the Newport Youth Café.

A spokesperson from Revive Newport, Pete Luther said:

“We are committed to enhancing the lives of members in the community through our wide range of activities and events. Over the years, we have been recognised as one of the leading community centres and go the extra mile to make sure our members are happy with our services. We are very grateful to WightAid for their support as it will help us engage with more people.”

Tidal Family Support is a charity providing a full range of contact services for separated island families, they are the only ‘National Association Child Contact Centres (NACCC) Enhanced Accredited Contact Centre’ on the Isle of Wight.

Their aim is to provide a safe venue for children to meet their parent/family member with whom they do not live with, as well as family members they may have had little or no contact with due to family breakdown. Many of the families and children they support have multiple and complex needs and the impact on the children is that their needs haven’t been fully meet and can result in children presenting social anxiety, poor mental health and low self-esteem or taking on caring responsibilities.

When Families are in conflict or when it is not possible or safe for Parents to meet face to face it is necessary to provide contact services to allow children to maintain their relationship with their non-resident parent and or extended family members.

Wight Aid’s grant for therapeutic support sessions to children and young people will provide a safe and comfortable place to meet family members. 

Colton Clark, – Contact Supervisor with Tidal Support said:

Many of the families we support have multiple and complex needs, and many of the children have witnessed domestic abuse and or have a parent with a history of alcohol or drug misuse or poor mental health. This grant will make a real positive difference to a great many young people.