Cheapside Business Alliance are proud to have launched 3 editions of the Cheapside Community Fund, supporting local non-profit community organisations with £48,800 in funding.
Over the last 3 years, the Cheapside Community Fund has contributed to create a true positive impact for the local community, providing vital funding and resources to a total of 11 community projects driving positive change across Cheapside to date.
Building on the success of the 2022 and 2023 schemes, this year’s Fund aimed to support projects that addressed one of the four following focus areas:
- Aim to address climate change and how our urban environment needs to adapt to support a greener and more sustainable world.
- Support people to enter good work and education in order to become a cohesive and prosperous neighbourhood.
- Develop skills through upskilling, skills sharing and training local people into employment.
- Support mental health and wellbeing through sport.
It was great to see so many impactful applications for our 2024 fund, and we were delighted to have supported 5 incredible projects chosen by our Community Fund Panel. These were:
- ‘Waste not want not’, by Forget Me Not Memory Café – Championing sustainability and climate action through recycled jewellery workshops and climate change talks and discussions for local residents.
- ‘Forward With Confidence’ by The Suited & Booted Centre Limited – Supported ex-offenders, homeless and other vulnerable young men back into employment through professional styling and interview advice.
- ‘Outreach Roadshow’ by Fat Macy’s Foundation – Supported those most in need through the work experience programme, which includes cooking classes and demonstrations in hostels, as well as providing access to housing deposits for those living in temporary accommodation.
- ‘Travel support to workshops’ by codebar – Provided financial support to enable community members to access and attend their free in-person programming workshops.
- ‘Young Leaders Programme’ by XLP Youth Charity – Provided food security for young people by giving them access to healthy food, as well as guidance on ‘how to cook on a budget’.
The projects had a combined positive impact for over 250 people, and engaged almost 80 volunteers in community activity. When surveyed, majority of the organisations agreed that the Cheapside Community Fund helped increase beneficiary engagement and positively impacted the wider community, as well as the organisation itself.
“It was a lifesaver, even if I was coming in for a few hours every week … I feel much more confident now and I’m not as anxious as before. I am more comfortable with trying new things.”
Beneficiary – Fat Macy’s Foundation
In addition to the great social value impact of the projects, they also contributed towards a variety of United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDGs), including Decent Work & Economic Growth, Quality Education and Good Health & Wellbeing.
Social impact and community engagement are vital to the work of the BID, and we’re delighted that through the Cheapside Community Fund, we’ve been able to invest an incredible total of £48,800 into directly supporting key initiatives across our local area.