An Ellesmere Port community group for men is delighted to have received a five-figure funding boost.

Asda’s charity, The Asda Foundation, has awarded £10,500 to The Port Men in Sheds group in Ellesmere Port, through its Investing in Spaces and Places grants.

The grants form part of £1.2 million in funding which has been awarded to 65 community projects across the UK.

The Port Men in Sheds aim to support men who are isolated, lonely, bereaved, recovering from illness or who miss the camaraderie of the workplace. Their members range from 18 to 90 years of age. They provide activities, games, refreshments, woodworking, metal working, music group, board games, talking therapy, art and crafts.

Funding the Port Men in Sheds has received will help to fit a new kitchen and new appliances, which will allow them to provide breakfast and lunch for their members and the wider local community, as well as a warm welcoming space for the group's members to socialise.

One member of the group said: “We are all so grateful for the support we've had from the community, especially Asda, as the kitchen is really not fit for purpose. With this grant we can now refurbish to the highest possible standard to meet current regulations.”

Rob Golding, Trustee of the group, added: “We are incredibly grateful for the Asda Foundation's support and delivering on what we're trying to achieve at The Port Men in Sheds, supporting not only our members but the wider community. We thank Adele our Community Champion for all her support too – this is going to make a massive difference.”

Asda Community champion Adele Dybacz from the Ellesmere Port store said: "I was so excited to tell the group they had been successful with the £10,500 grant from the Asda Foundation.

"This funding is going to help the group make some major changes to their kitchen area and purchase the key appliances they need to enhance their food offering for their members. I’m really looking forward to seeing all the work starting."

Karl Doyle, chair of the Asda Foundation, added: “We know that safe and inclusive spaces can be a lifeline to many in our local communities; they offer a way for people to be together and are the home for many vital services and activities.

"Our Community Tracker tells us that many community groups are struggling to find the funding to maintain, develop and repair these spaces and that’s where we have come in to help.

"Through our Investing in Spaces and Places grants, and the wider Asda Foundation programme, we want to continue playing our part in uniting communities and reducing loneliness by improving community spaces and bringing people together.”