What is the Aviva Broker Community Fund?
The Aviva Broker Community Fund gives brokers the chance to win funding for local charities, championing their hard work to build a brighter future for communities, and empowering them to make even more of a difference on a local level.
This year, we are championing Scarborough-based charity, Basics Plus, who we also backed in 2021. Aviva’s funding pot sits at £300,000 and brokers can request a share of up to £20,000 for the charity they are supporting. McClarrons have submitted an entry for Basics Plus to receive a share of Aviva’s funding to help them execute on some of their ongoing and planned projects, and to support their efforts in making a long-lasting, positive change to the community.
Who are Basics Plus?
Basics Plus provides a “real work” environment through community projects for adults with learning disabilities. They provide this work from their site at Betton Farm, East Ayton, Scarborough where they operate a tearoom and restaurant, farm shop and bakery, design and print studio, craft studio, recycling project of wooden pallets into fire kindling, and leaflet delivery service. They also have an SSSI site (a Site of Special Scientific Interest) – a quarry that geology students and geologists love to visit, as well as a small animal farm, small play area and campsite.
Through Basics Plus’ placements in real-work environments and projects, individuals are provided with education, training, and access to recreational facilities to help them enjoy a more standard way of living. Some of these projects include the use of Basics Plus’ craft studio and kitchen and catering service, where users can create produce to sell through the farm shop or tearoom and restaurant. Basics Plus’ print studio, leaflet distribution and camping and caravanning park are all available to the public and also support local businesses.
All of these projects generate an income to offset costs to the public purse through Basics Plus’ contracts with NYCC Health and Adult Services. Not only do their service users (students) benefit from the meaningful daytime activities, but the wider community of East & West Ayton and the borough of Scarborough also benefit from the amenity, with the site offering a great deal to the hospitality and tourism trade for the Scarborough district.
As a specialist insurance broker for the agricultural, care, and charity sectors, and as Social Farm & Gardens’ preferred insurance partner, the education, employment experiences and services provided by Basics Plus are very close to our hearts. The idea of care farming is to utilise agricultural practices to improve people’s mental and physical health, social skills, and education. Basics Plus’ services provide their users with the mental and physical health benefits of being outside in nature, providing meaningful activity and rehabilitation.
What would the money be used for?
Funding would help Basics Plus to protect cash flow and reserve funds after the loss of trade from the COVID-19 period of closure. Basics Plus has recently suffered a major fire which has resulted in a loss of generated income and will continue to do so until Betton Farm’s Tearoom & Restaurant is restored
If Basics Plus were to receive the funding level we have applied for, they would be able to purchase a minibus and catering vehicle. Basics Plus have a team of 12 within their leaflet delivery team who would benefit from a new vehicle as would the businesses using the leaflet delivery service. As well as the leaflet delivery team, service users would benefit from the minibus as Basics Plus would use it to offer them trips. The catering vehicle will help Basics Plus run their catering delivery service; a project that supports the charity in the current economic climate where they are seeing fewer people visiting the farm.
The fire, earlier in the year, meant that the charity was at risk of losing the individuals placed with them and that are funded via local authorities. Having the necessary equipment to diversify their services would hopefully mean security in the retention of existing service users but also help grow the number of new service users that they would be able to support.
Key dates
Winners will be announced and awarded at an exclusive finale event on 17 October 2023. We wish all entries the best of luck!
