CWVA has overseen a programme on behalf of Cheshire West and Chester Council through the UK Government Crisis and Resilience Fund.
Nine organisations have received funding, offering a wide range of support in local communities across Cheshire West.
Some projects have focused on cash payments, vouchers and other routes to support people immediately in a crisis, while others have provided wrap-around resilience support to help people with their challenges and avoid them falling into a crisis.
Across the programme, almost 700 people have received support, highlighting the wide reach that funded organisations have in their local communities.
Pennysmart CIC supported Ben, whose name has been changed, by accident as his mum had been referred due to severe mental health challenges and difficulty managing the household budget.
A major barrier to her financial stability was Ben, who was also struggling with poor mental health, had disengaged from everything and wasn’t claiming benefits so he couldn’t contribute to essential household bills.
With gentle encouragement, Pennysmart’s caseworker asked if Ben might be willing to have a conversation.
A new case was opened, and Ben was quickly supported to claim Universal Credit, giving him a stable income and enabling him to contribute to the household. He was also encouraged to seek support from his GP to address his mental health and, crucially, he was helped with access to a Debt Relief Order, relieving him of debts he had no realistic way of repaying.
Ben said: “I couldn’t believe how easy and stress free this process was. I feel like a completely different person already and can finally start getting back on track.”
Meanwhile, a lady visited Crossroads Community Hub, stating she felt like she was drowning financially and didn’t know why.
A Budgeting Support Worker chatted to her, exploring her income and outgoings and finding that she was being charged £270 for TV subscriptions. She was supported to cancel everything she wasn’t using, creating significant monthly savings.
She said: “This is life‑changing for someone struggling to put food on the table. I feel confident knowing I now have support.”
This is one of many grant programmes overseen by CWVA, distributing more than £500,000 in funding to community sector organisations in 2025.
Alongside these programmes, CWVA’s website showcases different funding opportunities that are currently available for organisations in Cheshire West.
Receive weekly updates with the latest news and information for community sector organisations
Sign up here
