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Ensuring a future for older people's groups in North Somerset
A new grant programme has opened, aimed at helping to sustain vital older people's support projects in the county.
In a collaboration between St Monica Trust and the Quartet Community Foundation, the North Somerset Older People's Sustainability Grant Programme will support local groups that benefit of older people, and help them to become fit for the future.
Any groups wishing to apply must have charitable aims, must benefit older people in North Somerset, and be an organisation where a small grant can make a big difference – although there's no upper limit to the size of the organisation.
Grants of up to £10,000 will be awarded through the programme, with an average grant being around £5,000. The funding will be awarded to projects aimed at improving a group's sustainability in the longer term.
David Williams, Chief Executive of the Trust, said:
Working together with the Quartet Community Foundation to create the Older People's Sustainability Grant is a great example of how we want to build partnerships that will improve the lives of disadvantaged older people.
"The St Monica Trust is committed to providing more opportunities like this and we will be increasing the value of our Community Fund from £500,000 annually to £1.2m over the next 5 years."
Quartet Community Foundation's Philanthropy Director Ronnie Brown said, "We're delighted to be collaborating with St Monica Trust, and we hope that our new grants programme will help groups find innovative ways of keeping going into the future.
"We're seeing a rising demand for services across our region, and along with pressures on public services, this could mean a grim time for some small groups. They provide a much-needed safety net for local older people in hardship and we want to ensure they don't disappear just when people need them most."
The deadline for applications is 22 September 2016.
There will be an advice surgery to help organisations who wish to apply. There are a limited number of appointments available on Thursday 1 September between 10am and 4pm at VANS Office, Weston Court, Oldmixon Crescent. Booking is required – to book a slot please telephone VANS on 01934 416 486.
For full details of the fund and to check if your group is eligible to apply, visit and apply online here.
You can also call the Community Fund on on 0117 949 4003 or email community.fund@stmonicatrust.org.uk.

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Jordanian Official Says Deposits In Lebanese Banks Will Not Be Lost
Hussein Yassine·
The Secretary-General of the Union of Arab Banks in Jordan, Wissam Fattouh, said in a statement about customers of Lebanese banks that he does not expect the bankruptcy of these banks.
Instead, Fattouh said that Lebanese banks will likely undergo mergers or acquisitions, under the supervision of the Lebanese Central Bank, as a result of the crisis undermining Lebanon's banking sector.
With that said, he affirmed that "the money of Lebanese or Jordanian depositors or others will not be lost."
Reuters/Mohamad Azakir
"As for the inability to withdraw deposits in foreign currencies at the present time, they will be paid in the end," he added.
The remarks come after Lebanon's economic and financial crisis sparked fears among depositors of a spillover to Lebanese bank branches in countries in the region and around the world.
As a precautionary measure against the potential threat, the Central Bank of Cyprus recently began to impose exceptional requirements on all branches of Lebanese banks on Cypriot territory.
REUTERS/Mohamed Azakir
Similar measures were previously taken by the Iraqi Central Bank, ultimately prompting Lebanese banks in Iraq to close down and withdraw from the country's market due to their inability to comply with the new requirements.
A similar fate is expected for the branches in Cyprus, as well as in other countries that will likely tighten the grip on them to secure guarantees amid the uncertainty surrounding their head offices in Lebanon.


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