The Old Mill Fund, the charitable giving branch of financial experts Old Mill, announced that it has reached the significant milestone of awarding £50,000 in grants to local grassroots charities across Somerset, Devon, and Wiltshire since its launch just over three years ago.
In partnership with the grant-making charity Somerset Community Foundation (SCF), Old Mill created the Old Mill Fund in 2019 to make a long-term commitment to supporting local charities.
Over the past three years, the Old Mill Fund has made more than 40 grants, totalling £50,000, and impacting the lives of over 4,000 people.
Funds are raised through direct donations from Old Mill, personal contributions, and fundraising activities by staff at the Wells, Yeovil, Chippenham, and Exeter offices.
Twice a year, community foundations in Somerset, Devon, and Wiltshire assess applications from local projects fitting within the fund’s three key objectives: building brighter futures, reducing rural loneliness, and strengthening communities.
Old Mill then selects the projects they wish to support, with past recipients including Sweet Track Counselling Agency, Open Arms East Devon, and Wiltshire Treehouse.
Among the charities chosen this year are Doorway, a Chippenham-based project supporting vulnerable adults experiencing homelessness or housing issues, and Youth Resource Services, part of The Rendezvous youth project in Yeovil and Sherborne.
Laura Blake, philanthropy director at the Somerset Community Fund, said: “Our partnership with Old Mill is a very special one.
“The firm’s donations to The Old Mill Fund have helped us provide more vital funding for small, local charities working to support young people, improve people’s mental health, and invest in strengthening local communities.”
Jon Orchard, partner at Old Mill, who helps manage the fund and has personally raised over £2,500 through various sponsored events, added: “We are naturally very proud of this achievement, and the benefit the grants have had in the local communities that we work in.
“We certainly don’t want to stop here and our aim is to continue to raise awareness of the Old Mill Fund and the various community foundations.”
The Old Mill Fund is managed by local Community Foundations in Somerset, Devon and Wiltshire and charities or groups looking to apply for funding from it can do so via their local community foundation’s grants programme using the links below:
Somerset Community Foundation | Wiltshire Community Foundation | Devon Community Foundation
