Hartlepool organisation wins £48,000 lottery cash to boost community response to virus

Hartlepower staff and voluntary sector support workers (from left) Clair Gilbraith, Peter Gowland, Juli Simons and Julian Penton outside the Energy Hub.

Town charity and community interest company Hartlepower has secured £48,900 from the National Lottery’s Coronavirus Community Support Fund.

It will help Hartlepower, which runs the Energy Hub business and social enterprise centre in Stranton, to recover from the financial hit it has taken during the pandemic and support a series of existing and new community projects in partnership with other organisations.

Hartlepower, will use some of the cash to establish a new Broadband Access Programme to provide affordable access for some of the most disadvantaged people in the town.

Three tenants of The Energy Hub will also share in the funding for projects of their own.

Applications opened last month to the £200 million pot aimed at increasing community support to vulnerable people affected by the Covid-19 crisis, and to reduce temporary closures of essential charities and social enterprises.

Peter Gowland, chair of Hartlepower charity, said: “It is part of a big fund announced and will kickstart the hub and exciting projects by three of our tenants.

“It is all thanks to the lottery who have been very supportive.

“Part of this package is going to be used to try to install affordable broadband in at least 200 homes in Hartlepool and Redcar through a partner organisation.”

It will help youngsters unable to attend school to tap into online educational opportunities or for people caring for family members to feel less isolated.

Energy Hub tenants SMB Training will use some of the money to deliver safeguarding training for volunteers including those for Hartleneighbours good neighbours project.

Another tenant RepeaT for Kids will be able to provide mindfulness training for children.

And milliner Karen Louise will be able to boost production of valuable PPE.

As well as running the Energy Hub, Hartlepower also supports communities with energy advice, community involvement, and Voluntary and Community Sector support.

Hartlepower is now in the process of looking to set up a second hub following the success of the one at Stranton.

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