Parish of St Saviour Charitable Grants

Each year at the Parish Rates Assembly, parishioners agree a total sum to be allocated for charitable donations. Grant applications are invited annually from 1 January to 31 March.

As part of this year’s process, the Connétable was pleased to meet with representatives from a number of charitable organisations and community groups based in the Parish of St Saviour and across Jersey to present them with their approved grants for 2024/2025. These grants play an important role in supporting the valuable work carried out by local groups, directly benefiting and improving the lives of parishioners and the wider community.

Below are some photos from the cheque presentations, along with a short summary provided by each organisation explaining how their grant will be used.

Autism – Lesley Harrison
“This funding will enable us to operate and provide some of the following – both for those with a diagnosis and those waiting diagnosis, along with their families and carers, as autism had a significant wider effect on the family:

Adult Social Club: For autistic adults who meet twice a week at Brighton Close Community Hub. This provides a fully inclusive environment for people to meet, socialise and enjoy various activities and experiences.  For example, we hold a Budget Kitchen, where members as a team decide on the recipe and between them create a nutritious meal on a budget, that is healthy and within their means.  Arts and Crafts also feature highly in this group.

Adult and Family Support Team:  Who advocate and ensure there is a joint up approach to the relevant pathways for the right and appropriate support internally and externally.  This includes counselling for families and autistic individuals.

Activities include: Befriending and Mentoring Provision / Coffee Mornings for carers / Dads curry nights / Mindfulness for parents and carers / Siblings Group – fun activities including pizza making sessions, Day at the Zoo / Relaxed cinema viewings / Lending Library/ Fun Family days – including , days on Mia’s Farm, Teddy Bear Picnics / Exploring  Nature Days.“

Age Concern Jersey – Paul Simmons
“The fantastic award will be used to fund our free wellbeing classes which take place each weekday at 11:00am. They are designed to offer both mental and physical stimulation and are a great opportunity to get older people together for some much needed fun and friendship.”

Jersey Hospice Care – Cheri Strudwick
“Thank you to the Parish of St Saviour for their kind donation to Jersey Hospice Care. This donation means we can continue to support islanders facing life-limiting conditions and their families – whether that’s on our In Patient Unit, through our services in the community, or with bereavement counselling“

Family Nursing & Home Care – District Nursing Sister Jo Champion and Claire White, Director of Governance and Care
“Family Nursing & Home Care (FNHC) would like to sincerely thank the Parish of St Saviour for their generous grant which will be used to fund moving and handling equipment, designed to assist islanders who have fallen and need help getting up safely and with dignity. This will be used by our Education and Development team as a training aid to equip staff with essential skills to ensure a safer working environment for both patients and themselves.“

MacMillan Cancer Support (Jersey) Limited – Andrew Gardham Community and Engagement Lead
“We would like to extend our sincere thanks to St. Saviour’s Parish for so generously awarding Macmillan Cancer Support Jersey this grant. This support will make a significant difference in helping us enhance the environment at The Oasis, our dedicated cancer support centre. This funding will enable us to refresh and update our furnishings, redecorate communal areas, and complete a new counselling room – all designed to be welcoming, accessible, and calming for anyone affected by cancer. With your help, we can continue to provide a supportive, non-clinical space that promotes comfort, dignity, and wellbeing for islanders affected by cancer, as well as their families and loved ones. Your contribution plays a vital role in helping us deliver the highest standard of support at a time when it is needed most. Thank you for making such a meaningful impact”.

Brook Jersey – Carolyn O’Boyle
“Brook Jerey are so grateful for the funds from the Parish of St Saviour. This donation will go towards clinical supplies to keep young people healthy and safe from harm as well as essential items to deliver our educational lessons in schools. In particular, we are in need of various teaching aids (USBs, presentation items and stationery)” – Sarah Le Long, Service Manager

Jersey Employment Trust – Co-ordinators Jo Anderson and Linda de Jesus.
“The Jersey Employment Trust has been granted £1,000 towards training in Decider Skills, which help people recognise thoughts and feelings, allowing them to manage their emotions and mental health. JET is a charity that supports Islanders who have a disability or long-term health condition secure and sustain employment. More than half of their clients report mental health as their primary disability, a percentage which is event higher amongst the under-25s.“

Dementia Jersey – Claudine Snape CEO
“These kindly donated funds will pay for 800 copies of Dementia Jersey’s popular Dementia Matters magazine to be printed and circulated around the island to Parish Halls, GPs surgeries, Community Centres, Care Homes and Churches. This helps more people affected by dementia know about the free support available for them and contains features of interest, interviews with people with dementia and carers, hints and tips plus book and home tech reviews.”

Arts Centre – Daniel Austin
“The donated funds will be used to support upcoming productions of Show & Tell by the Junior Drama group (ages 8–13). The contribution will help cover production costs and enhance the experience for the young performers involved.“

Les Amis – Paul Routier
“The £2,500 kindly awarded by the Parish of St Saviour will go towards the purchase of two profile-beds for the residents of Les Amis’ Garden Flat residential home. The current beds were no longer serviceable and needed replacing. These are vital for the facilitation of care delivery, as well as the comfort of our service-users.  Les Amis is very grateful for the Parish’s support, which will enable us to continue to provide necessary care for our residents.”