Small charities are 'lifeblood of community'

The Parenting Network in Portsmouth said it supported 12,500 families last year

Small charities are "the lifeblood of our communities", a foundation that provides grants for grassroots organisations has said.

Hampshire & Isle of Wight Community Foundation supports charities tackling poverty, isolation, mental health and unemployment across the two counties.

Jacqui Scott, chief executive of the group, said small philanthropic organisations "know their clients and the people they work with incredibly well, and provide them with huge amounts of support".

Her comments come during Small Charity Week in the UK - a national campaign highlighting the important, but often unsung, impact of small charities.

Since 2002, Hampshire & Isle of Wight Community Foundation has awarded more than £16.5m of funding to local groups, distributing a share of 1 to 2 million pounds a year.

"We match their passion and what they want to achieve with their funding in the local community," Ms Scott said.

Jacqui Scott is the chief executive of Hampshire & Isle of Wight Community Foundation

Matt Foster, who started community interest company the Parenting Network in Portsmouth, is one of those to have benefited from grant money.

His organisation offers a range of free services and support to parents in Hampshire.

"Small bits of funding have big ripples and make big impacts for the families here," he said.

'Lost without it'

Mr Foster said the Parenting Network supported more than 12,500 families last year.

He said: "It's mixed feelings. It's really sad the stories that we hear but we are so, so lucky that we are here and we are the people that they are choosing to come to."

A parent who attended one of the organisation's sessions said: "Without it, without the support, without the groups, without the one-to-one chat that you can have, without anything, I think we'd all be lost."

Another said the parents also enjoyed making friends and having a break.

Updated on 30 July 2025: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that the Parenting Network is a charity when it is in fact a community interest company.