Leeds Fund projects receive £380,000 boost from Asda Foundation
The Leeds Fund has received a massive funding boost from the charitable corporate foundation of supermarket retailer Asda.
Asda Foundation has given a total of £380,000 to support innovative mental health projects, identified by Leeds Community Foundation, which set up The Leeds Fund to distribute grants to help address the city’s greatest areas of need.
The Leeds Fund supported six initiatives at the end of last year but due limited funding was unable to support all of the excellent mental health community projects that had been shortlisted.
With the Asda Foundation funding, a further 16 projects across the city have also received money to support people living with mental health issues.
All of the funded projects have been developed by people with lived experience of mental health issues and the community groups that work with them, meaning they are tailored directly to the needs of local people and can make the greatest impact.
The Market Place is an example of just one of the groups which received funding towards HYPE (Helping Young People through Experience) voice and influence group for young people aged between 11 and 25 who are experiencing suicidal thoughts, harassment, bullying or isolation. Funding for other successful projects will both create new services and develop current ones through a range of community organisations, such as the Black Health Initiative, Carers Leeds, DIAL Leeds, Oblong and Otley Action for Older People.
All 22 of the supported Leeds Fund mental health projects came together to attend a launch event yesterday (7 February) at the St George’s Centre to celebrate The Leeds Fund, share best practice to ensure that tangible outcomes around mental health and future learning can be gathered from these projects.
John Cookman, deputy chairman of Asda Foundation, said: “We share in Leeds Community Foundation’s mission of creating positive change in local communities. When we heard that The Leeds Fund had been overwhelmed by applications from community projects needing support to deliver mental health support services, we wanted to help more projects receive the funding they need. It has been great to meet with the groups and hear more about the fantastic work they are doing to support local people. We look forward to seeing the outcomes of these projects and are delighted we have been able to help.”
Sally-Anne Greenfield, chief executive of Leeds Community Foundation, said: “The Leeds Fund is committed to raising awareness and money to support community projects across Leeds that provide vital services to local people living with mental health issues. Thanks to Asda Foundation’s generous donation, we have been able to award large grants of up to £25,000 to even more projects. We are truly grateful for their help and hope their generosity will inspire other companies to get involved with The Leeds Fund to ensure community based projects continue to make a real difference to people’s lives in Leeds.”
The Leeds Fund, which is supported by Leeds born TV personality Patron, Gabby Logan, was launched in June 2016. The Fund’s strategic focus is mental health, but it also supports a range of other areas of need which affect the city.
