THE bereavement charity Sandy Bear has been awarded a £1500 grant to help it continue its services during the pandemic.

The charity received the funding after its local Preseli MP Stephen Crabb nominated it for a cash award from Western Power Distribution’s (WPD’s) ‘In This Together – Community Matters Fund’.

The fund was established by the local electricity distributor at the start of lockdown to support grass root organisations in delivering care to vulnerable people and families. It initially supported over 300 organisations with £500,000 funding.

As the lockdown lifted, WPD extended its support by a further £250,000 and offered MPs the opportunity to put forward a community group or charity for a grant to help towards its work during these challenging times.

Stephen Crabb said: “Bereavement at any age can be heart breaking, but for young people the death of a loved one can turn their lives upside down.

“That’s why the work that Sandy Bear do in helping bereaved young people is so important. Its work with children and young families is to be commended and that’s why I was pleased to nominate Sandy Bear for this grant.”

Alison Sleightholm, WPD’s Resources & External Affairs Director, said: “Throughout this crisis we have worked tirelessly to support our local communities and keep the energy flowing to our 7.9 million customers. The crisis is far from over and as we enter the next phase of the UK’s response to the pandemic, we’re delighted that 92 MPs in our regions have nominated deserving causes for up to £1,500 of funding.

“We’re proud that, so far, we have been able to fund over 450 charities and groups within our area. Through the extension of our fund and with the fantastic support of our MPs, we’re able to support even more organisations doing valuable community work.”