Community chest opens for one last time to give cash to good causes in Portsmouth, Fareham, Havant and Gosport from Freemasons and The News

The Chest has been a joint community campaign run by The News in conjunction with the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Freemasons and has been handing out grants to charities and community groups since launching in September last year.

Two rounds of fund-giving have already been held - one in Portsmouth and the other in Gosport - and now the last pots of cash are awaiting to be donated. So if you are a good cause looking for financial assistance now is the time to apply.

The final set of grants will be handed out in Fareham in October and so groups in the borough will be looked on favourably, but bids can be made from anywhere across The News’ circulation area.

Editor Mark Waldron said: ‘The rationale behind our Community Chest campaign was to promote the incredible amount of charitable work and support provided by local freemasons and to share some of that among good causes within our News communities.

‘It has certainly achieved both of these aims and so now we ask one last time for any groups to apply before we have to close the Community Chest for good’.

Funding is available for groups and individuals with projects aimed at making their communities a better place to live. They can be one-off projects or longer-term projects which need a financial kick-start..

Last December the first three beneficiaries were youth support group Motiv8, food provider Cosham Larder and the Solent MS Therapy Centre. In March, £300 cheques were given out to the Multiple Sclerosis Society, MHA Communities Gosport & Fareham, The Rainbow Centre and Fareham Monday Club.

Nominations can be made by members of charities and organisations, or by individuals who want to put forward a group which has helped them.

All entries will be adjudicated by a judging panel which includes representatives from The News and the masons. To make a nomination, send details about the group, what the money would be for, and how this would benefit the local community to [email protected]