TWO Keighley organisations are sharing in a £500,000-plus funding pot to support people disproportionately affected by Covid-19.

Keighley Healthy Living and Dementia Friendly Keighley are among 13 voluntary and community organisations across the region awarded funds by the West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership.

They were selected for the health inequalities grants from more than 80 “high quality” applicants.

Keighley Healthy Living, based in Scott Street, received £49,902.

And Dementia Friendly Keighley has been awarded £25,000.

Robin Tuddenham, who co-chairs the partnership’s Improving Population Health programme, said: “We were delighted to receive so many quality applications from so many wonderful voluntary and community sector organisations in West Yorkshire and Harrogate.

“The calibre was so high that we sought to increase the funding from £450,000 to £503,000.

“We are committed to enhancing our focus on reducing health inequalities, supporting what is being delivered in place and as set out in our five-year strategy. This represents one of the ways in which we will help local services to respond to the impact of Covid-19, supporting resilience within our communities in partnership with our innovative and creative voluntary and community sector.”

The Improving Population Health initiative is also co-led by Dr James Thomas, chairman of NHS Bradford District and Craven Clinical Commissioning Group.

He praised all the organisations which had applied for funding.

“A ‘thank you’ goes to them all,” added Dr Thomas.

“We will share the learning from the successful projects across the West Yorkshire and Harrogate health inequalities network – including case studies, evaluations and a learning event – and we have sought permission to share applications with other potential funders which may be looking to achieve similar objectives.”

Rob Webster, the partnership’s chief executive officer lead, said the funding was being awarded at an important time for the organisations.

“This is the latest tranche of funding we have made available to voluntary and community organisations through our partnership,” he said.

“It comes at an important time, when third-sector organisations are under extreme pressure financially and when their work is often most needed to support people who we know are subject to significant inequality.”

West Yorkshire and Harrogate Health and Care Partnership focuses on the needs of a 2.7 million population across an area including Bradford district and Craven. It comprises a number of organisations including councils and health bodies.