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A fund that helps relieve poverty, distress and sickness amongst children and young people has made its 100th grant in fewer than three years. The Northumberland Village Homes Trust Fund at the Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland has given grants to organisations across the region totaling £370,000.
Ross Wilson, Senior Philanthropy Advisor at the Community Foundation said:
“The Northumberland Village Homes Trust Fund has enabled us to support a wide range of provision for young people in Tyne & Wear, Northumberland as well as County Durham and Tees Valley. At a time when young people and their families are stretched by the cost-of-living crisis, the fund makes grants that offer support and create vital opportunities that otherwise may not happen”.
The landmark grant went to Corbridge Youth Initiative (CYI), a charity in Northumberland that provides targeted support for young people in the village aged 9 – 21. They run age-related groups, a girls’ group, job club, mentoring and one-to-one support, as well as offering an allotment project, school holiday activities and trips.
The grant for core costs enabled CYI to continue to delivery and strengthen their offer to young people.
Sean Soulsby, Chair at CYI, explained the value of this grant:
“It’s often the smaller but consistent grants that prove to be the lifeline for many small charities like ours. Core funding gives charities security, stability and consistency, delivering services that meet local need. Corbridge Youth Initiative are so grateful to receive core funding from Northumberland Village Homes Trust”.
The Northumberland Village Homes Trust Fund has supported a diverse range of recipients and will continue to provide vital grants across the North East.
Diana Barkes, advisor for the Fund, and former trustee of the Trust before it was transferred to the Community Foundation, is proud of the impact the fund has made already:
“The Northumberland Village Homes Trust has funded a wide range of projects and it is gratifying to know that 100 grants have been made since the fund became part of the Community Foundation. The last three years in particular have brought increasing pressures and uncertainty for young people and the cost-of-living crisis has had a real impact on the running costs of many charities.
“I am delighted that Corbridge Youth Initiative is the recipient of the 100th grant as it provides a range of support and opportunities for young people to overcome rural isolation and reduce anti-social and risk-taking behaviour.”