By Isle of Wight Observer
Island good causes across the age range have shared more than £13,500 in the first WightAID round of grant giving for 2026.
Support went to two early-years organisations, a youth football club, a village community group, a floral-based initiative helping adults with learning and support needs, and a woodland improvement project.
Lisa Butler, of WightAID supporter Rouse Ltd, presented the cheques.
The biggest grant, worth £5,707, went to The Ickle Pickles Children Charity, which supports babies needing intensive care in neonatal units.
Since 2009, the charity has raised money for equipment to treat the smallest and sickest babies. Staff on the Special Care Baby Unit at St Mary’s Hospital support almost 300 babies and their families each year.
The WightAID grant will provide two Neopuff Infant Resuscitators and two Croyde Kangaroo Recliner Chairs. The chairs will help more new mothers establish breastfeeding and bond with their babies.
The Parenting Network CIC received £4,050 towards activity costs and refreshments for children and parents at its Family Hub, due to open at Quay Arts in Newport this year. The organisation will also expand outreach work with the Special Care Baby Unit at St Mary’s, and with fostering and special guardianship teams.
Ryde-based Forever Wild at Heart was awarded £2,650 for its Community Woodland Improvement Project to make its woodland safer, more accessible and more resilient for year-round community use.
Smaller grants also went to Wroxall Woollies, which received £500 for games equipment, wool and snacks, Operation Geranium, which received £500 to help deliver 600 pots of geraniums to older residents, and Brighstone FC, which was awarded £216 to buy 30 footballs for more than 200 children.
WightAID founder Geoff Underwood said: “This is a fabulous start to 2026 and we are delighted to support some truly incredible organisations.
“This is only possible thanks to the generosity of Island businesses and individuals, so a big thank you to them.”
More information is available at wightaid.org/donate.
Rufus Pickles - Local Democracy Reporter