A BASINGSTOKE charity has been shortlisted to receive a share of more than £4m National Lottery community funding.

Inspero is one of 95 organisations shortlisted across the UK for this year’s The People’s Project and is now relying on the public to get behind them.

Inspero, which runs community gardens in Basingstoke and a foodbank at Kempshott Village Hall, is hoping to secure funds to run a sustainable wellbeing and horticultural project to enhance the quality of life of people in the local community.

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The project, called WellnessN’Wellies, aims to help people build strategies for good mental health, increase knowledge of food and healthy lifestyles and keep people active through gentle exercise.

The People’s Project is a collaboration between ITV and the National Lottery, giving local causes the chance to win funding for projects.

Inspero now needs people to vote for its WellnessN’Wellies project before the deadline at 12noon on Friday, May 26.

It is up against five other projects from the region, with each one featured on ITV Meridian West each evening, with Inspero showcasing its work on Friday, May 19 at 6.15pm.

The three projects that receive the most votes have a chance of winning the funding.

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Catherine Waters-Clark, founder and CEO of Inspero, said: “It has become incredibly challenging as a charity coming out of the pandemic to raise funds.

“In the pandemic, Inspero increased our services, we worked so hard to provide much needed services at a time of national emergency with many of our staff and volunteers also contributing to the vaccination programme.

“We helped and supported thousands of local people in their hour of need, now we are asking local people to thank us by voting.”

She added: “The WellnessN’Wellies Project at our community garden provides a lifeline to people suffering with various health conditions. It is a wonderful environment for bringing people together of different abilities, ages and cultures. It also aids in community cohesion and community development.

“One of the main benefits is receiving the fresh food to take home, swap seeds, plants and learn about the environment.

“This is the third time Inspero have been in the competition and we’ve never won before, it is a really competitive process, this time we are asking people to really get behind us as a local Basingstoke charity and vote.”

To vote visit thepeoplesprojects.org.uk/projects/view/wellnessnwellies.