Metro Mayor Kick-starts LCRCares fund to support Coronavirus “Community Heroes”

Steve Rotheram, Metro Mayor of the Liverpool City Region, has launched a new crowdfunding campaign to raise £1million to support community and voluntary organisations on the frontline of helping the city region’s communities cope with the impact of Coronavirus.

Announced last week as one of a raft of measures to address the crisis, the LCR Cares COVID-19 Community Fund kicks off today with a quarter of a million pounds already in its coffers.

The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority has today (Monday 30^th) kickstarted the fund with an initial £200,000 donation with a further £50,000 contribution coming from the National Emergencies Trust.

The fund, set up in partnership with the Community Foundation for Merseyside, a registered charity, will award grants to support community organisations providing vital services like foodbanks, delivery of food and care packages to vulnerable people, telephone and online services offering friendship and support to help reduce isolation, emotional and mental health support and financial Inclusion, support to access benefits and debt advice.

Speaking about the Fund, Mayor Rotheram said:

“We are famous for our generosity, big hearts and community solidarity and more than ever before we have seen this in the response from thousands of individuals, community organisations, charities and social businesses.

“People are volunteering their help in so many ways. They are our community heroes and they urgently need our support.

“That’s why, working with the Leaders of our 6 councils, I have set up the LCRCares COVID-19 Community Support Fund, aiming to raise £1million, and kickstarted today with an initial £200,000 donation from the Combined Authority and £50,000 from the National Emergencies Trust.

“I know many people and businesses are already suffering hardship and need our help. But if everyone who can afford to can give a little, we can make a huge impact for our communities as we come together to tackle this unprecedented crisis.”

As well as setting up LCR Cares, the Combined Authority is working closely with key partners through the formal Local Resilience Forum on a wide range of measures to tackle the health and economic impacts of the coronavirus crisis.

Rae Brooke, Chief Executive of the Community Foundation for Merseyside, said:

“We are extremely proud to be working with the Metro Mayor to provide this vital fund, which will ensure much needed funding is provided where there’s most need and where it will have greatest impact. Many who have the capacity to support financially will want to do that in this exceptional time of need. This is when the best of community spirit can be demonstrated, and everyone can make a real difference to the lives of others.

“With this initial funding already available, the fund is open for applications from today.”

Further details on how to donate are on the Combined Authority’s website.

Search “LCRCares” or visit www.lcrcares.co.uk

Community organisations can apply grant by visiting: www.cfmerseyside.org.uk

NOTES TO EDITORS:

The Community Foundation for Merseyside is a registered charity and over the past 20 years has distributed in excess of £40m to grass root community groups and charities across the Liverpool City Region and has a strong track record, expert team and long held reputation for ensuring funding is provided to the most vulnerable.

The National Emergencies Trust was convened by the Charity Commission to see if there was a better way of responding to national emergencies. It collaborates with charities and other bodies to raise and distribute money and support victims at the time of a domestic disaster. It is a charity, not the state; it is additional to what the state does. It is independent of government and will not seek to replicate the work of central or local government.