We provide grants to local charities and community groups across the North East, Cumbria and North Yorkshire through our Newcastle Building Society Community Fund.
In 2023 we continued to support projects working to tackle issues linked to employability, food poverty, debt management, homelessness, and the environment.
We awarded our largest ever single allocation of small grants in the spring – a total of £91,931 to 27 charities. We then awarded a further £67,322 to 15 charities in October.
Here’s more about the most recent grant recipients and the amazing work they do:
Grant awarded – £5,000
Cleveland Housing Advice Centre provides one-to-one advice for people who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, or living in poor housing, on a range of topics including welfare benefits, housing, and debt issues.
The grant will be used to help deliver debt training to three members of staff and two volunteers, to support service users with debt issues.
Find out more about the charity on their website.
Grant awarded – £5,000
Bridges Family and Carer Service provides help and assistance to substance misusers and their friends and family.
The grant will be used to fund a new project that will help people with problematic addictive behaviours, such as gambling, gaming, and spending, to avoid activities that could lead to financial difficulty.
Find out more about the charity on their website.
Grant awarded – £5,000
The Jewish Community Council of Gateshead works to improve the social and economic opportunities of the Orthodox Jewish community in Gateshead.
The Council’s Bewick Centre provides the local Jewish community an important, culturally suitable, facility to receive support and advice, which they might not be able to access otherwise.
The grant will be used to provide a Disability Living Allowance to those who need it – a new strand of welfare and benefit advice the Council is piloting.
Find out more about the charity on their website.
Grant awarded – £4,914
The Parker Trust provides personal development programmes to young people up to the age of 25, so that they can grow into independent, mature, and responsible adults. Services they provide include training and education, life skills projects, holiday clubs and more.
The grant will be used to deliver a series of activities that will help improve the employability opportunities of 40 young people who are not in education, employment or training.
Find out more about the charity on their website.
Grant awarded – £4,622
True Colours Theatre is a performing arts school for disabled children and young people across the North East.
In 2022, True Colours was gifted the old Willington Quay & Howdon Boys Club by North Tyneside Council, which was later renovated in 2023 as part of a ‘DIY SOS: The Big Build’ episode.
True Colours will use the grant to now set up and equip a visitors café at its new premises.
Find out more about the charity on their website.
Grant awarded – £5,000
Building Self-Belief works to improve the wellbeing, self-esteem and confidence of young people across the North East.
The charity has created a series of programmes that focus on wellbeing, employability, local heritage, and the environment, and are designed to help the young people maximise their potential and strengthen their connection to their local community.
The grant will be used to deliver a weekly employability programme to young people aged 16-18 in Consett, County Durham, to help close the skills gap in the area.
Find out more about the charity on their website.
Grant awarded – £5,000
Cumbria Action for Sustainability is Cumbria’s leading climate change and sustainability organisation.
Their mission is to reach a zero carbon Cumbria by 2037 or sooner, by promoting and simplifying low carbon living and its benefits to residents, communities, and businesses across the county.
The organisation will use the grant to set up a support network for businesses to help them become net zero.
Find out more about the charity on their website.
Grant awarded – £4,450
Building Futures East offers a range of employment, personal development, training, and work experience opportunities to people from disadvantaged communities in Newcastle. The activities range from construction, gardening, IT and more.
The grant will be used to continue the charity’s Riverside Roots community garden – a project that combines physical and mental health and teaches service users how to grow fruit and vegetables from scratch, as well as how to prepare nutritionally balanced meals.
Find out more about the charity on their website.
Grant awarded – £4,886
Children North East is the region’s oldest charity for vulnerable babies, children, and young people. They provide families support, such as mentoring, counselling, crisis services and more, so that children living in the region can grow up to be happy and healthy.
The grant will be used to deliver cookery classes to children aged 8-16 over a period of six months, so that they can develop healthy eating habits and learn skills such as meal planning and building good relationships with others.
Find out more about the charity on their website.
Grant awarded – £4,950
Gateshead Football Club Community Foundation uses the power of sport to deliver a series of education, employability, health, inclusion, environmental, and sport programmes that are designed to empower vulnerable members of the local community to build better lives.
As part of its work, The Foundation runs a Breakfast and Fun Club to help families who are struggling financially provide entertainment during the school holidays. The grant will help keep the club running until the summer.
Find out more about the charity on their website.
Grant awarded – £5,000
Action for Children (AFC) works to protect children and young people so that they have a safe and happy childhood.
As part of its services in the North East, AFC owns a range of small, residential homes in Gateshead, Fenham, and Northumberland for vulnerable children and families in need, as well as a community café in Newbiggin, which provides hot meals and play sessions for families who are facing financial difficulties.
The grant will be used to upgrade the cafés oven, so that it can be used without the help of an experienced chef and cook more hot meals.
Find out more about the charity on their website.
Grant awarded – £1,666
The Albert Kennedy Trust provides support, advice, and guidance to young people aged 16-25 who are LGBT+ and homeless or at risk of homelessness.
The Trust provides emergency safe houses, emergency support and tenancy packs, as well as housing advice, mentoring, and life skills training and events.
The grant will be used to deliver a training event to young LGBT+ adults who would like to be a part of the Trust’s youth panel. The training will help participants develop skills such as public speaking, research, report writing, campaigning and more.
Not only will the youth panel help direct the Trust’s future work, but it is also anticipated that members will also go on to advocate for changes in society for LGBT+ youth.
Find out more about the charity on their website.
Grant awarded – £4,834
YMCA North Tyneside works to strengthen its local community through a variety of programmes for people of all ages, including youth and children’s clubs, after school projects, a fitness centre, supported accommodation and more.
The grant will be used to fund a part-time housing resettlement role, to support young people aged 16-25 progress from the charity’s supported accommodation into safe and sustainable permanent homes.
Find out more about the charity on their website.
Grant awarded – £2,000
The Moses Project supports adult males struggling with substance misuse and addiction.
Service users often live in chaotic environments and are suffering the consequences of long-term self-abuse, so the charity helps them move into a safe new home and adjust to living independently.
The grant will be used to create packs of household essentials, such as cutlery and bedding, and deliver food parcels to new tenants.
Find out more about the charity on their website.
Grant awarded – £5,000
AF&V Launchpad is a veteran’s charity that provides accommodation and support to help veterans transition from military to civilian life.
Launchpad has a range of supported accommodation across the North East, and the grant will be used to buy a greenhouse for the garden at its Durham location.
The greenhouse will allow residents to grow more fruit and vegetables, as well as expand Launchpad’s partnership with Sunderland University Occupational Therapy students, who work with the residents to involve them in activities such as gardening, cooking, and baking.
Find out more about the charity on their website.
Our Community Fund grants
