Charity Swings & Smiles’ energy costs will be covered by Berkshire Community Foundation charity grant

A children’s charity has received a £2,500 grant to tackle energy costs.

The donation was made to Swings & Smiles in Thatcham for the energy costs that come with running the centre.

The money, from Berkshire Community Foundation, will go towards the Surviving Winter Funding Project – which mean’s users of Swings & Smiles’ services will have a warm and safe place to play.

A large proportion of the people supported by the charity are vulnerable and need to be in a warm and light environment.

Disabled children and their families often have nowhere else to go outside their own home.

But this grant will allow Swings & Smiles to operate all of its sessions, seven days a week, so that it can continue to meet the needs of the special needs children.

Swings & Smiles trustee Tor Sandars said: “With gas and electricity costs rapidly increasing we are extremely grateful to the Berkshire Community Foundation for their on-going support to help us make sure we can continue to provide our essential services to families who really need it.

“Berkshire Community Foundation have been a real help to us over the past year, not only giving us this recent grant but they have also given us grants to go towards our staff costs and our volunteer programme.

“We wouldn’t be where we are today without their support.”

Berkshire Community Foundation chief executive Jon Yates said: “At Berkshire Community Foundation, we work to enable vibrant, caring and resilient communities by directing philanthropic funds towards charities that perform vital functions for local people.

“We are delighted to support Swings & Smiles in its important work and look forward to the positive impact enabled by this grant.”