Waitrose is partnering with the Prince’s Countryside Fund (PCF) on a new grants scheme that will fund community grassroots projects to address challenges such as food poverty and mental health.
The supermarket is joining forces with the King Charles-funded charity supporting family farms and rural communities to distribute a total of £500,000 to grassroots projects across the UK.
The first six projects to receive the cash injection include Positive Community Action, a meal delivery service tackling rural isolation in Wiltshire; Black Mountains College of Talgarth, a training provider delivering rural skills and vocational courses in Wales; and Stoke Ferry Community Enterprise, a community initiative to restore the historic Blue Bell Pub in Stoke Ferry, Norfolk.
Three farm support organisations also received the so-called ‘Happiness Grants’, which will be used to improve access to emergency mental health and financial services for farmers, and to support sustainable farming practices.
The chosen projects will also be paired with a local Waitrose store, offering community engagement, mentorship and fundraising opportunities.
“Waitrose is extremely proud to be a founding corporate partner of the Prince’s Countryside Fund, and we’re excited to embark on this new phase of our partnership,” said Waitrose social impact and health lead Lindsey Crompton.
“Inspiring happiness in communities is a central component of the John Lewis Partnership Purpose, and the Prince’s Countryside Fund’s rural grants embody this mission. We very much look forward to seeing how these exciting, grassroots projects develop.”
Over the past decade, the Prince’s Countryside Fund has invested over £10m to fund more than 400 projects helping to improve service provision in rural areas, supporting farming businesses, and training young people to enter and stay in the sector.
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