NI women and girls projects receive share of £3.4 million Tampon Tax Fund

16 Jan 2019

More than 30 projects working with some of Northern Ireland’s most vulnerable women and girls have received a much-needed funding boost from the Community Foundation.

Small charities and community groups have received grants of between £5,000 – £10,000 from the UK Tampon Tax Community Fund to work with women of all ages, focussing on preventative services for those at risk of crisis.

Projects receiving funding will help women and girls get into or back to work, raise awareness about health issues, and help them create and develop social networks.

A wide range of organisations have been supported including Destined Limited based in Derry which has received funding towards the delivery of a health and wellbeing and education development programme for women with learning disabilities.

First Steps Women’s Centre in Dungannon received funding to run a range of courses and employment workshops, Women’s Tec received funding towards taster sessions in trades for girls, and Flourish NI has received funding towards the delivery of a 12-week Sew and Skill programme for survivors of human trafficking.

Community Foundations throughout the UK were asked by government to distribute a share of the funding raised through the levy on sanitary products in 2017/18 to small, local projects.

Community Foundation Director of Philanthropy Siofra Healy said: “The Foundation has a strong track record of supporting women through our Women’s Fund for NI and we know how acute the need is for further funding of women’s projects.
“Across the UK, Community Foundations were oversubscribed for the Tampon Tax Community Fund, and the situation was exactly the same in NI, showing the massive need that exists for support for women.

“We will continue to seek ways to fund women’s projects and are thrilled that this funding will enable grassroots groups who often struggle for funding of this nature to run some amazing initiatives that will make a difference on the ground to the women and girls who need it most,” said Siofra.

Examples of some of the other projects being funded include:

• Cancer Lifeline – towards the delivery of community support services to older vulnerable females affected by cancer.
• Drumquin Young at Heart Club – towards the delivery of weekly inter-generational activities to tackle social isolation in a rural community.
• Antrim Enterprise Agency Ltd – towards setting up a pilot Women’s Shed (Her She’d) as a social enterprise and running taster sessions in plumbing, electrics, painting & decorating, and sow & grow, as well as running and resilience and counselling sessions.

Community Foundations are independent charities that make grants to support grassroots groups. They work with local businesses, funders and government to create tailored programmes of grant-making that respond to the needs and assets of communities.
They also distribute funding secured through national programmes, including the Tampon Tax Community Fund.