A CHARITABLE fund worth £700,000 has been launched by the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Foundation.

The Hampshire Community Fund has been created through an amalgamation of 27 trusts and charities transferred from the county council, enabling grants worth up to £35,000 to be made each year to residents.

The creation of the fund allows the foundation to expand its reach, managing trusts that support children leaving care, music scholarships, talented athletes, school awards for outstanding work across all areas of the curriculum, together with a fund supporting an older people’s care home.

Councillor Andrew Joy, the executive member for communities, partnerships and external affairs, has recently joined the foundation’s board as a trustee.

He said: “Community foundations have an extremely good reputation for the effective management of charitable funds in order to maximise their impact at local level.

“I am pleased the Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Foundation can now breathe new life into these trusts through the Community Fund in order to help those in need.

Chief executive Grant Cornwell said: “The Hampshire and Isle of Wight Community Foundation have worked with the Charity Commission to remove restrictions, update the charitable objectives and enable these trusts to give more money to good causes, and we very much look forward to working closely with the county council.

“These re-invigorated funds enable us to focus on key Foundation issues including poverty and disadvantage, education and training, mental or physical ill health and healthy living and sport, enabling us to tackle deprivation and disadvantage across our region.”

Grants will be made in line with the original objectives of the trusts. A number are open for applications now, with a deadline of Friday, July 13. They are:–

•The Hampshire Old Industrial and Reformatory Schools Trust Fund will make grants available of up to £500 to support Hampshire care leavers in higher education. The Evelyn Mace fund will also support this group of young people care leavers in higher education. The aim is to support the development of young people under 25 who have been in the care of Hampshire County Council to help them go on to college or university, or begin an apprenticeship.

•The Dayas Music Scholarship will award grants of up to £600 to Hampshire residents to enable older musicians to undertake studies or projects in connection with composition, conducting, instrumental performance, singing, music education and musicology. Scholarship grants will cover up to 50 per cent of the cost of tuition with preference for those using their musical talents to provide a community benefit.

•The Michael Austin Harlick Fund was established to support sport and competitions and will fund 50 per cent of the cost of trophies, medals or other prizes for those succeeding in open competitions.

To apply, visit www.hiwcf.com/grants