Western Power Distribution (WPD) is calling on charities in Dorchester to apply for grants of up to £10,000 to tackle loneliness and isolation.

This year's Mental Health Awareness Week - from May 9 to 15 - has a theme of loneliness and isolation, so to provide support for organisations tackling these issues, WPD is inviting funding applications until Sunday, April 24.

This is the latest round of grants from WPD's annual £1 million Community Matters Fund, which has already seen the energy distributor support more than 100 grassroots organisations with fuel poverty grants.

WPD is looking to support and partner with community groups and organisations in Dorchester to achieve positive change. With loneliness and tackling social exclusion as the core topic, WPD is opening the doors to funding applications from all generational and diverse community groups and organisations.

The types of project the fund can support are:

• Digital skills and inclusion projects

• Social inclusion and connectedness projects

• Mental health interventions

• Employability skills

• Projects increasing community access to outside space

• Inter-generational support projects

• Befriending services

• Innovative solutions to combating loneliness For more information and to apply, visit westernpower.co.uk Don't forget to sign up to our newsletter below! You can submit your own news straight to Dorchester Nub News by using the 'Nub It' button on our home page. This can also be done for events on our What's On page and businesses, groups and organisations on our Local Listings page , also by using the 'Nub It' button. Please like and follow our online newspaper on your favourite social media channel. You can find us @DorchesterNubNews on Facebook and @DorchesterNub Twitter.