Dorchester Poverty Action

What is Dorchester Poverty Action (DPA)?

DPA is a local charity set up by Churches Together in Dorchester in 1994 that seeks out causes of poverty and ways to tackle them. It makes grants of up to £250 on request from a professional agency (including health visitors, social workers, church leaders, tenancy support, Citizens Advice, Food banks, schools) to those in urgent need living in postcodes DT1 and DT2. Nearly every penny raised or donated to this charity goes to local people.

In the last two financial years we have distributed approx. £61,000 each year.

DO YOU KNOW THE LEVEL OF NEED HERE?

This appears to be a prosperous area but there are very many people who really do need this sort of help. In a crisis just £250 can help to prevent a young family breaking up or an old person’s health being damaged or a mentally ill person’s future being destroyed.

Normally people manage their finances well - it is when there is a crisis such as the energy and cost of living crisis that DPA is such a help.

The grants given in the last two years included:

♦ Helping families purchase school uniform

♦ Helping with removal costs, eg people with disabilities moving to adapted accommodation suitable for them, 

♦ Helping with costs due to domestic violence 

♦ Paying for car repairs or MOT tests for those who can’t continue to work without a car

♦ Furniture for  a young person coming out of the care system into a flat

♦ Washing machine for  a family with a new baby

For further information and to donate:

www.dorchesterpovertyaction.org.uk

or e-mail info@dorchesterpovertyaction.org.uk

or write c/o United Church Dorchester, 49-51 Charles St, Dorchester DT1 1EE