Somerset Community Foundation (SCF), which is based at the Bath and West Showground near Shepton Mallet, is absolutely delighted to announce that the 2020/21 Surviving Winter appeal has smashed its target, raising a record-breaking £160,000, thanks to the generosity of local donors.

The annual appeal encourages those who can afford to, to donate some or all of their Winter Fuel Payment.

These donations provide funding and support to older and vulnerable neighbours across Somerset who, this year due to the need to stay at home during the coronavirus outbreak, are finding themselves cut off from family and friends, and facing higher than usual costs to heat their homes.

The Surviving Winter team at SCF, and their partners, have been distributing funding across the county to those in need.

The appeal aims to support more than 700 people this year, helping to keep them warm, safe and well.

Since Surviving Winter first launched in Somerset in 2010, the appeal has raised a £950,000 in total for the county.

SCF's development director, Laura Blake, thanked local people for rallying behind the appeal and said: "We've been absolutely blown away by the support we've received for this year's Surviving Winter appeal – particularly as so many older people have been going through challenging times in light of the coronavirus restrictions in the last year.

"We're hugely grateful to each and every person who has donated - and particularly those who donate year after year.

"Without your support, we know lots of older people in Somerset would be suffering in silence and feeling more isolated than usual during the cold winter months."

SCF would like to thank TelePA who generously offered their services free-of-charge to the charitable campaign for the second year in a row.

The team-of-two telephone answering service, based in Wells, took dozens of pledges from Somerset residents wishing to donate to the Surviving Winter 2020/21 appeal.

For information on how to apply for a Surviving Winter grant, contact either Community Council for Somerset on 01823 331222 or visit: www.somersetcf.org.uk/winter.

To donate some or all of your Winter Fuel Payment, or to make a donation of any size to the Surviving Winter appeal, you can visit the website above to donate online.

To send a cheque, make it payable to Somerset Community Foundation (please write SW on the reverse), Yeoman House, Bath and West Showground, Shepton Mallet, BA4 6QN. To make a donation over the phone, call 01749 344949.