- The charitable Hendy Foundation linked to leading motor retailer, Hendy Group, donated £50,000 to organisations across the south coast in 2024
- Life Education Wessex, Bournemouth Food Bank, Dorset Mind, Dorset Mind and Wild and Free Therapy are recipients of new grants
- Over 200 small charities have now been backed with vital funds since Hendy Foundation was created
Hendy Foundation, the independent charity affiliated with leading car dealer business Hendy Group, has confirmed its latest round of funding commitments for local charities across the south coast of England. The latest phase of donations includes grants to Dorset-based Life Education Wessex, Bournemouth Food Bank, Dorset Mind and Wild and Free Therapy. This takes Hendy Foundation’s charitable commitments in 2024 to over £50,000, benefitting 26 different charities.
In its latest funding round, Hendy Foundation has selected eleven small charities to support across six counties. These include:
- Life Education Wessex (Dorset)
- Bournemouth Food Bank (Dorset)
- Dorset Mind (Dorset)
- Wild and Free Therapy (Dorset)
- Mid Kent Community Radio (Kent)
- Estuary League of Friends (Devon)
- Alder Trust (Hampshire)
- PEDALL Inclusive Cycling (Hampshire)
- City Gate Community (East Sussex)
- The Sampson Centre for MS (Surrey)
- Domestic Abuse Volunteer Support Services DAVSS (Kent)
Hendy Foundation has chosen to support young people in Dorset who may struggle with substance misuse, obesity, and mental health problems. Its work with Life Education Wessex helps equip children with life skills to make healthy choices and stay safe. The second Dorset charity receiving funding from the grant window is Bournemouth Food Bank, an organisation that focuses on providing food poverty relief to those in crisis.
Dorset Mind has received funds from Hendy Foundation to support its mission to create a community for mental health discussions. Hendy Foundation also pledged funding to support the work of Wild and Free Therapy, a small non-profit, charitable organisation focused on nurturing resilience-building and emotional literacy in young people.
Since its launch, Hendy Foundation has granted over £350,000 to more than 200 charities in communities that are local to Hendy Group’s car dealerships across Devon, Dorset, Wiltshire, Hampshire, West Sussex, East Sussex, Surrey and Kent.
On average, Hendy Foundation receives between 50 and 100 applications for each funding round, which typically occur two to three times per year. A panel of volunteer trustees carry out a detailed due diligence process to determine which are most eligible to receive support.
Some of the local charities previously supported by Hendy include:
- The Vale Pantry, Dorset: Known as the ‘fourth emergency service’ in the local area, Hendy Foundation donated £1,000 to replenish store-cupboard items and baby-care products during the Christmas period.
- Wimborne Community Garden, Dorset: Hendy Foundation donated £5,000 to help build a garden for special educational needs children aged 16 to 18. Run by volunteers, the garden is used to grow vegetables used in meals cooked for the students, with all excess produce given to a local food bank.
- Helpful Hounds Assistance Dogs, Dorset: Hendy Foundation funding supported the training of two assistance dogs to help children with special needs and disabilities in the Dorset area. The Foundation also assisted with costs for vets’ fees, bedding, training, food and other necessities.
Launched in 2019, Hendy Foundation is a dedicated charity that provides grants to local charitable projects, people and charitable organisations. The family-run Hendy Group’s commitment to supporting local communities goes back generations, and the Hendy Foundation continues to explore exciting new ways to strengthen and improve upon these links.
