Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Foundation

Grant from Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Foundation Secures Future of Our Community Cafés

A huge THANK YOU to the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Foundation for the significant funding we have received from their Including Communities Programme.

The Foundation makes grants that support charitable organisations across Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, with a particular focus on grassroots groups working closest to their communities. As the Foundation puts it: "Small charities have the advantage of being embedded within their communities; they understand the complexities of the issues their clients may be facing, and are able to meet demands as they emerge."

That describes exactly how Basingstoke NeighbourCare works. Since 1997 our volunteers have been supporting older people across Basingstoke and Tadley with accompanied transport, befriending, gardening and handyperson help, and, since 2022, our weekly drop-in Community Cafés.

What this funding means

This grant will help us continue running our two weekly Community Cafés:

Church Cottage, Basingstoke – every Tuesday
Brighton Hill Community Centre – every Wednesday

Our cafés give older people a warm, friendly place to meet others, enjoy refreshments, and take part in conversation and activities. For many of our guests, the café is the highlight of their week and their main chance to socialise. There's no need to book, and newcomers are always welcome — just come along, or call us on 01256 423855 if you'd like to know more first.

Thank you

We're enormously grateful to the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Foundation for recognising the difference these cafés make to older residents in Basingstoke. Funding like this is what keeps a small, volunteer-powered charity like ours going.

If you'd like to support our work too, visit our Fundraising page or donate via Localgiving.