Relief In Need

Under the terms of its charitable scheme, Odiham Consolidated Charities ( OCC ) has two main areas of activity:

Listed below are some of the ways that OCC fulfils its obligations under the latter category :

Christmas Voucher Scheme

In December each year, OCC Trustees send out vouchers to elderley residents in the Parish for use in local shops, to assist with the extra costs associated with Christmas. Several shops participate in this scheme and they display a poster in the period leading up to Christmas notifying shoppers that they can redeem their vouchers there.

Newlyns Farm Shop state :

Supporting the local community has always been important to the Janaway family, which is why we are proud to be able to participate in the Christmas Voucher scheme run by Odiham Consolidated Charities. By accepting these vouchers local folk can buy food and little luxuries they might not normally be able to afford.

Support for Individuals in Need

Throughout the year the Trustees consider any cases brought to them or of which they are aware where individuals, in financial hardship for a variety of reasons, find themselves in difficulty.  In appropriate cases, the Trustees may make a contribution towards these costs.

Support for Local Organisations

Throughout the year the Trustees consider submissions from local organisations for financial assistance where those bodies are unable to fund the full cost of the services they provide or, in some cases, where an additional service may be provided given extra funding. Organisations wishing to seek financial help should submit a business case to the Trustees. In general the Trustees would wish to see that other funding agencies had been approached as well as Odiham Consolidated Charities, as the charity will in most cases consider a contribution towards the monies being requested, rather than the full amount. Organisations which the charity has supported in this way include the Twofold Trust, the Scouts, the Cottage Hospital, Pathfinders for Patients and several others. Details of the support which the charity gives to local schools and other educational agencies are included in the Education pages of the website.

Affordable Housing

OCC Trustees are aware of the difficulties which local young people face in being able to afford to continue to live in the Parish once they have left home and wish to live independently. This can also be the case for keyworkers such as teachers, nurses and firefighters who would like to live in the local area to be close to their place of work but find the cost of renting or buying to be prohibitive. The affordable houses at Bufton Field are an example of a low cost housing scheme which the charity is proud to have been able to provide for local younger residents and OCC is keen to establish a further scheme, by liaising with the Parish Council and Hart District Council to identify suitable sites within potential development areas in the Parish..

Testimonial from young person living in the Parish :

I am one of many young people within this village who wants to live here but can’t because I can’t afford to. I would like to see more affordable housing in the village so not only young people can chose to live here but essential professionals like nurses. I think the housing OCC provides is excellent and would love to see a young person’s equivalent of the almshouses.

Other Areas of Support

OCC Trustees keep any areas of social, housing or educational need within the Parish which they may wish to support under regular review. In some cases the charity has put in place new initiatives where a particular need has been identified.