MONEY from an NHS emergency Covid fund is set to boost health in Dorset through its partnerships with two local charities.

The NHS Charities Together Covid-19 Community Partnership Grants has partnered with the Dorset Community Foundation and Dorset County Hospital Charity to recognise the work of grassroots groups which support the health of their communities and alleviate pressure on the NHS.

Groups in Dorset whose work improves the health of people in communities disproportionately affected by the pandemic can apply for grants of up to £4,000.

The grants will be funded by a proportion of the £150 million raised by NHS Charities Together through its Covid-19 Urgent Appeal launched in March 2020, which was supported by hundreds of thousands of people all over the UK, including Captain Sir Tom Moore and Premiership footballers.

Capt Sir Tom, who raised almost £39m for NHS charities by walking laps of his garden, died in February aged 100.

To be eligible, applicants must be able to show how their work has a direct positive impact on the NHS while it responds to the additional pressures created by Covid-19. They will also need a referee for the application, who must be an NHS practitioner able to endorse the group’s work and describe how they are supported by it.

Grants issued to member charities through the appeal have provided vital help to patients, staff and volunteers on the frontline, including bereavement support for patients, counselling for staff, research into long Covid, specialist equipment, and funding for thousands of emergency response volunteers.

Dorset County Hospital Charity, raises money to enhance patient care supporting the work of the hospital in Dorchester. It funds new equipment, improvements to wards, as well as supporting the welfare and wellbeing of the hospital’s staff.

Head of the charity, Simon Pearson said: “The NHS Charities Together Community Partnership grants provide a tremendous opportunity to support voluntary and community groups working with the NHS as our communities in Dorset recover from the pandemic.

“We are very pleased to be partnering with Dorset Community Foundation who provide expertise in local grant-making, to provide this essential funding to local organisations on behalf of NHS Charities Together.”

The fund opens for applications on September 6 but the partners are advising grants may not be paid until next February due to the time required to review and approve applications.

Dorset Community Foundation director Grant Robson said: “We are very proud to be involved in this partnership, which will deliver much-needed funds to grass roots groups who are doing vital work which people don’t realise is doing a huge amount to relieve the workload of the NHS.

“This money will go a long way to helping them build back from 18 months of rising demand while being unable to raise their own funds."

Find out more about the grants and how to apply at dorsetcommunityfoundation.org/funds/nhs-community-partnership-grants.