ALMOST £100,000 has been awarded to 22 groups as part of a community foundation fund to tackle poverty and isolation.

Dorset Community Foundation’s new Living Legacy Fund has spread £97,500 across various clubs, societies and businesses to improve health and wellbeing around Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole.

The fund is supported by BCP Council, Talbot Village Trust and the Paul Cornes Fund.

Among the first recipients of the grant is the Townsend Youth Partnership, which will use £5,000 to run the Innovation Hub, a weekly art project designed to encourage up to 50 young people to share their frustrations and anxieties through art.

Staff member Val Thomas said: “This project will see our youth workers reaching out to young people to offer support and a sense of hope, helping floundering relationships, offering virtual and face-to-face activities, offering advice and encouraging community resilience.”

The Friendly Food Club in Bournemouth will use a £4,860 grant to continue its successful Cookbox project, which encourages healthy cooking and eating among children of low-income families across the county.

Access Dorset will be using a £3,700 grant to buy equipment for a range of face-to-face activities at The Bridge in Bournemouth. The group, which is run by and for people with disabilities, runs a community café and activity groups for gardening, cooking, art, walking and exercise.

Dorset Community Foundation director Grant Robson said: “We are very thankful to BCP Council, Talbot Village Trust and the Paul Cornes Fund for their generosity in funding this new initiative that we believe can play a big part in making life better for people across the BCP area.

“We have been struck by the variety and breadth of the applications we have received. They reflect the range of amazing work that goes on in Dorset to support people of all ages facing an array of challenges.”

Cllr Jane Kelly, BCP Council’s lead member for engagement, said: “It is truly heart-warming to now see the positive benefit the Living Legacy Fund will have for the groups who have been awarded this funding.”