August's Community Stories

Rainbow Saheli Group

The Community Resilience Team had great pleasure in being invited to the Rainbow Saheli group’s India Independence Day celebration event. The event took place in Sacred Heart Church community space and was attended by Local Councillors and the Lord Mayor.

There was singing and speeches and the room was decorated in green, orange and gold. Everyone looked fabulous and the women involved are continuing to enjoy and grow their support group. Congratulations to everyone involved.

The main aim of the Rainbow Saheli group is to develop and empower women and improve their mental and emotional wellbeing by providing relevant information to enhance their skills, knowledge and support them so they can positively contribute to the community. The group’s activities include yoga and light exercise, arts & crafts workshops, singing dancing and a luncheon club. Regular speakers also attend the activities to give talks on health and wellbeing.

The Community Resilience Team helped the group apply for a grant from which has supported them with rent, arts and crafts materials and refreshments. The Community Resilience Team has also helped the group to secure a National Lottery, Awards For All funding, to support their yoga and Indian music wellbeing sessions.

If your community organisation needs support applying for funding, please get in touch with the team communityresilience@coventry.gov.uk(External link)

The Sangam Group

The Sangam Group is a support group for South Asian elders and meet once weekly for a social gathering at Broad Street Meeting Hall.

The group approached the Community Resilience Team for help to restart the group following the Covid19 pandemic lockdown periods.

With support from the Community Resilience Team, the group successfully applied for a £1,945 grant to enable them to start meeting again. This gave the group short term support so that they could research other funding opportunities.

Since receiving the funding, the group’s membership has more than tripled in size and the group continues to grow.

The Community Resilience Team has continued to support the group applying to the National Lottery Awards for All fund. The group applied and were successful in receiving £4,290 which will go towards room hire costs, refreshments, and transport to help make the group sustainable over the next 12 months.

Kendrick Homes Ltd supports the Coventry Food Network

A developer working on new homes in north Coventry is giving a cash donation to support Coventry’s network of food hubs.

Kendrick Homes Ltd, is building new homes in Watery Lane in Coventry, and as part of their work has offered the city’s Food Network a £3000 donation.

The money will go towards supporting residents across the city struggling to feed themselves and their families because of inflation and the rising cost of living.

The Coventry Food Network(External link) was created during 2020 to help support people and families struggling to put food on the table during COVID-19 and since as the ongoing cost of living crisis has developed.

The network now provides food parcels to more people than ever.

The network of 14 social Supermarkets(External link), located across the city, provide support and reduced cost food supplies to people in need. They can also help with directing customers towards the correct support available with any issues they may have.

Cllr David Welsh, Cabinet Member for Housing and Communities said: "On behalf of the Coventry Food Network and the residents they support, I would like to thank Kendrick Homes Ltd for this donation.

“This will help to make a real difference to many people across all communities, many people that are struggling to make ends meet.”

Diane Williams, Coventry Food Network trustee, said; “Thank you Kendrick Homes, this donation will help us support the most vulnerable people in Coventry with food “

The Coventry City Council Economic Development team put Kendrick Homes in touch with the Community Resilience Team as part of their commitment to social value; the positive value local businesses create to help support local Coventry communities.

If you, or someone you know, would like to offer support to help vulnerable residents across Coventry, you can get in touch with the Community Resilience Team at communityresilience@coventry.gov.uk