The LeicestershireLive There With You Fund, launched by the Leicester Mercury and LeicestershireLive, is a charitable fund which issues emergency grants of up to £300 to Leicestershire residents in a position of exceptional hardship caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The fund is administered by Leicester-based charity Charity Link (Leicester Charity Link) which, since 1876, has been helping to ensure that vulnerable local people have the basics in life that we all deserve, by providing essential items and support.

All funds donated to the There With You Fund will have a positive and immediate impact on the lives of Leicestershire residents by providing desperately needed essential goods, including food vouchers, utilities, cookers, fridges (for storing food and medicine), washing machines, microwaves, household goods, beds, bedding and school uniforms. The difficulties faced by vulnerable local people and children impacted upon by the Coronavirus pandemic is becoming all too apparent, this fund is dedicated solely to easing financial hardship for Leicester and Leicestershire residents directly impacted by the coronavirus.

We're so pleased and grateful to have exceeded half of our target so far - and we have distributed hundreds of essential items to local people in need (read some of their stories below).

Your support has helped families struggling to make ends meet due to furlough, job losses and delays in receiving Universal Credit, so they can put food on the table and pay utilities. Victims of domestic violence and those experiencing homelessness who need to set up a new, safe, home. Those who need to self-isolate due to age, underlying health conditions, disability or pregnancy and are going without the basic items to be able to store food, cook food and wash clothes.

We really can't thank you enough for your support!

Here are just a few of the client stories of people who The There With You Fund has helped. You can read many more on our website at www.charity-link.org/about-us/lives-changed/

Adele was referred to us by a local food bank. She has a health condition which means she has needed to self-isolate since the start of the pandemic. She is unable to work and although she receives some benefits, money has been extremely tight. To add to Adeles stress, both her washing machine and fridge freezer recently broke and she was not in a position to replace them. This meant she was having to risk going out to buy food on a daily basis and she was also needing food parcels to help her get by. Thanks to your support of There There With You Fund we have been able to support Adele with a reconditioned washing machine and fridge freezer to help support her during these difficult times.

Shelly was referred to Charity Link by her support worker. She has recently escaped an abusive relationship and when she did so she left most of her possessions behind. Working part-time in hospitality, her income has fluctuated severely over recent months due to the lockdowns and a reduction in her working hours. This has made budgeting increasingly difficult and leaving Shelly with no way to purchase the vital items she needs for the unfurnished property she moved to. The There With You Fund provided Shelly with a cooker, a vital item for her well-being as she starts a new life and gets through these difficult times.

Shona was devastated when the man she was paid to care for died from COVID-19 earlier this year. Already struggling with her mental health, this has impacted Shona greatly and she is currently unable to work. With Universal Credit payments barely covering her essential outgoings, Shona couldnt afford to replace her washing machine when this broke and couldnt access a laundrette. The There With You Fund provided Shona with this essential item.

Alex and her family were struggling financially before the pandemic and when their central heating broke, they found the repairs were delayed due to COVID-19 which left them with no choice but to use expensive electric heaters to keep warm. This left very little money and Alex was unable to pay for the books and stationery her son needed for his studies. The There With You Fund helped to pay for these essential items during this difficult time.

Ed lost all of his property after it was removed during the time he was in prison. Currently staying in a hostel, Ed only had the clothes he was released in and due to the pandemic there were very limited support services available to help him and charity shops were closed. The There With You Fund provided a grant to enable Ed to purchase some vital clothing a small but important step in helping him to rebuild his life.

Grant is an elderly gentleman with a number of health issues including breathing difficulties which meant it was vital for him to self-isolate when he returned home after a spell in hospital . As he was waiting for his next benefit payment, Grant faced the prospect of being at home with no funds to top up his gas and electricity. This would mean no light or heating. Emergency support from The There With You Fund helped Grant to ensure he was safe and warm at home.

Ajay had been suffering from anxiety and depression since the breakup of his relationship. His mental health issues deteriorated further due to the isolation experienced due to the COVID-19 lockdown. After a period of homelessness he was rehoused by the council but he couldnt afford a bed as his Universal Credit only covered basic outgoings. The There With You Fund helped to provide Ajay with a bed.

Sam was referred by her family support worker. She lost her job due to the COVID-19 pandemic and was struggling to make ends meet on her Universal Credit payment. Pregnant with her first child, Sam was trying to shield as much as possible to keep herself and her baby safe but her fridge-freezer started to fail which meant food was going off and she needed to make frequent trips to the shops to buy food which was adding to her anxiety. The There With You Fund helped to provide a new fridge-freezer.

Abi was referred by a charity as she had been homeless for a number of years and has a number of health issues. She desperately wanted to apply for a council property to improve her health and wellbeing but couldnt do so as, after her time on the streets, she didnt have any form of identification. Abi was struggling to access the support she needed due to services being severely limited as a result of COVID-19. Thanks to the There With You Fund Abi now has a birth certificate, a vital step on her journey to a home of her own.

For regular updates on the difference the There With You Fund and your support is making please visit the LeicestershireLive website and social media pages, the Leicester Mercury and Charity Links own website and social media pages.

The Fund was launched on the back of a £96,000 grant from the Randal Charitable Foundation, which has an unwavering vision that is to save lives, help the socially disadvantaged and improve the quality of life for those in need in the UK and around the world.

A Trustee of the Foundation said: The speed at which the Covid-19 pandemic has spread is something that has taken everyone by surprise, and has turned all of our lives upside down. This has inevitably affected some people in our communities more than others, which is why the There With You Fund is such a great idea.

For more information on Charity Link visit www.charity-link.org