A FUNDING pot of £250,000 is being made available to help charities and voluntary groups on the North Yorkshire coast recover from the coronavirus crisis.

The Sirius Minerals Foundation, the charitable arm of Anglo American which is building the multi-billion pound polyhalite mine near Whitby, has launched a new round of funding.

It aims to help voluntary, community and social enterprise groups with costs as they adapt to the new challenges created by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Awards of between £500 and £15,000 are available for digital services such as IT equipment, virtual office infrastructure, or online services; or to help cover funding gaps caused by the economic effects of the pandemic.

Foundation chairman David Archer said: “Covid-19 has affected everyone in one way or another, but none more so than the charitable sector, who have seen their funding dry up while demand for their services has continued, if not increased. We want to help them to help our communities, because they’re needed now more than ever.”

For eligibility criteria, or to apply, visit www.siriusmineralsfoundation.com. The appication deatline is noon on Tuesday, September 15, 2020. Decisions will be announced by October 19, 2020.

“Frontline workers in the NHS have attracted much of the attention of the media during the pandemic, and rightly so for their heroic work, but many don’t realise how many community health and support services are provided by the voluntary sector,” said David.

“And because of the economic downturn the pandemic has caused, many of them are now facing a struggle for survival. The whole point of the Foundation is to make a positive difference to local people’s lives, so it seemed only right that we help organisations who make a tangible difference on a daily basis.”