Onward go beyond housing and help 15 local projects this Summer
As one of the largest registered providers of social housing based solely in the North West of England, Onward is committed to enabling customers to be their best by providing homes that people love in places they are proud of.
In its latest round of Community Fund grants, Onward is set to help 15 projects across the North West with an investment of over £25k this Summer.
Over £18.9k was granted to 10 projects in Greater Manchester, including Bury Council’s Adult Learning Service.
Bury Council’s Adult Learning Service aims to meet the needs and aspirations of local people, communities and businesses by delivering high quality, accessible learning experiences to support the personal, social and economic development of individuals and the diverse communities which we serve.
The funding will be used to deliver work and skills engagement sessions with adults, connect local people with employment partners and provide a space for training providers to raise awareness of learning opportunities in the area.
Sue Scott, Learner Services and Partnerships Manager at Bury Council, said:
“We are delighted here to have been awarded funding from the Onward Community Fund which is enabling us to deliver our Let’s Engage In Learning project. This funding will allow us to build on our on-going partnership with Onward and will allow us to develop and deliver appropriate taster sessions and courses for residents of Whitefield, Radcliffe and Ramsbottom, within their community.”
“We also aim to hold two community Work and Wellbeing events that will provide opportunities for local voluntary and support organisations to highlight support that is available to residents. Local employers will also be available to discuss job vacancies, as well as supporting residents to improve their understanding and confidence when applying for jobs.”
The nine other groups that received funding in Greater Manchester were Art for Wellness, Elite Community Hub CIC, Greater Manchester South Asian Women, Happy Me Community, Halliwell Environmental Rambers Association, Trust House, Yaran North West, Yuvanis Foundation and Westhoughton Active Volunteer Enterprise.
In Lancashire, over £1.6k was granted to three projects, including Sustainability Learning CIC’s annual Lancashire Schools Sustainability Conference.
Sustainability Learning is a community interest company dedicated to improving education for sustainable development through annual conferences, workshops and training.
Their annual conference connects local schools to environmental activities that encourage environmental learning outside of a classroom. Through a grant from the Fund, the CIC will help to educate children on the alternative energy and planning needed to develop towns and raise awareness of local career opportunities.
Glynis Goldsborough, a Director of Sustainability Learning CIC said:
“We thank Onward Homes for supporting the costs of our KS3 STEM challenge which saw environmental education and learning outside the classroom merged, with an emphasis on real world links to jobs and future career prospects.”
Wendy Litherland, a Director of Sustainability Learning CIC added:
“Pupils faced the real-life challenge of designing a town based on renewable energy. Educating pupils about town planning and retrofitting to make our communities future proof is an important message, echoed by Onward Homes.”
The two other groups that received funding in Lancashire were Keep it Clean and Naz Ices.
Two projects were granted a total of £4.5k funding in Merseyside, including Norris Green Community Alliance’s Food for All initiative.
Norris Green Community Alliance offers tailored support to local families that are struggling with the cost of living.
Through a grant from the Onward Community Fund, the alliance’s Food for All initiative is set to support around 720 households over the next six months, with essential food and household items. As well as delivering essential items, Norris Green Community Alliance will also help residents in need to access additional support, such as employment opportunities, health, and wellbeing.
Miranda, a spokesperson at Norris Green Community Alliance said:
“Thank you to Onward for their generous support of our ‘Food for All’ initiative. The funding will allow us to continue our work and outreach to community members so we can support them via food bags. With the cost of living rising, it is important for us to be able to help anyone in need. This support makes a big difference in our efforts to combat hardship.”
Walton Vale Community Shop in Liverpool also received funding to deliver healthy cooking courses.
Andrew Brown, Director of Housing and Specialist Living at Onward, said:
“The Onward Community Fund enables us to go beyond housing and help local projects deliver meaningful solutions to the challenges our customers face. We are delighted to be supporting these 15 local initiatives that share our commitment to making a difference by enabling people to be their best and look forward to seeing the lasting outcomes they have across the communities we serve.”
Got a great idea for a community project, but need a little help to get it off the ground?
The next round of the Onward Community Fund closes on 15th November 2024. For further details, including the full eligibility criteria and how to apply please visit onward.co.uk/community-fund or email socialinvestment@onward.co.uk.