Kids activity packs funded by Somerset Coronavirus Appeal an international hit

A grant from the Somerset Coronavirus Appeal has funded a children’s Lockdown Activity Pack, which has become a hit across the UK and beyond.

Lucinda Spelman-Ives, Chair of Trustees at Wilstockhub, applied for the funding with the idea of helping local children, and a total of 290 packs were made up by Lucinda and the WilstockHub team. In early April the first packs were delivered to vulnerable children via their Housing Association, before the packs became more widely available.

Lucinda said: “The packs contained a Keepsake Lockdown 2020 activity book, colouring pencils, drawing sheets, a packet of wildflower seeds and a puzzle. There was a lot of interest in the Keepsake Lockdown 2020 activity book, so I produced a bigger version with plenty of activities and more space for children to write down their feelings, to help their mental wellness and reflect on how they are managing personally.” Lucinda added that when the children are older they can look back at the book and see that they were part of history in the making.

The book is free to download at: www.wilstockhub.com and there have been downloads across the UK from Cornwall to Scotland – and Lucinda has even been contacted by someone in California, USA, who was interested in the book.

Lucinda continued: “I can’t express how elated I feel with how the book has taken off. We’re very grateful to Somerset Community Foundation for awarding the Somerset Coronavirus Appeal grant, and allowing an idea to be put into action. It’s helped thousands of children and made them very happy in these hard times.”

Lucinda wrote the book, and her granddaughter, 13-year-old Grace Champion, provided all the illustrations.

The Somerset Coronavirus Appeal, managed by Somerset Community Foundation (SCF), has grown to over £565,000 since its launch on Thursday 19 March [correct as at 29/04/2020].

The appeal is raising money to fund local charities and community organisations supporting those in most urgent need during the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak, and donations have come from local individuals, charitable trusts and businesses.

Over £275,000 of grants have now been awarded to more than 110 groups across the county, including foodbanks and food delivery schemes, support services for older people, and virtual counselling, with more funding going out every week.

Grants of up to £10,000 are available for local charities, community organisations and volunteer groups helping those in most urgent need during the coronavirus outbreak, and SCF pledges to award funding within three working days.  Any groups wishing to apply should visit the SCF website, where they can complete a short, simple application form: www.somersetcf.org.uk/coronavirus

SCF is passionate about doing as much as possible to support our communities, and is encouraging local people, businesses, charitable trusts and organisations who feel able to donate to the Somerset Coronavirus Appeal by visiting the SCF website: www.somersetcf.org.uk/appeal or, if that isn’t possible, call 01749 344949.

To support the national NET appeal, please visit: www.nationalemergenciestrust.org.uk/coronavirus

If you have any queries you can contact SCF by email at: info@somersetcf.org.uk or, if that isn’t possible, you can call: 01749 344949.

Community Foundations are local champions, connecting people and organisations that want to improve their communities. They invest in local people and organisations tackling some of the biggest issues facing communities today and supporting some of society’s most disadvantaged people. They provide help and advice to those who want to give at the heart of their communities, both now and in the long-term, by matching donors to important local causes.