Our foundation is always looking for funding opportunities that are at the heart of our three circles, developing the health and wellbeing of older people through intergenerational activity and community regeneration, and this community project in Leeds is a great example.

While some funders will only fund registered charities, we have a more flexible approach to how we support communities, which enables us to support schools with community initiatives that are extra-curricular in nature and can be difficult to allocate limited financial resources to. This project in Leeds is a great example of that and we are excited to be working with them over the coming months as they transform the garden space of a local care home.

West SILC is a college for students with a wide range of learning difficulties, and due to the pandemic, many of their community activities had to stop. They showed great resolve by focusing on a transforming the school garden into a working allotment, and since restrictions have eased they have been back out in the community working on several regenerative projects with community spaces.

The aim of this project is to develop an allotment space in a local care home, regenerating a space that is currently unused and overgrown. This will create a community space for the care home residents, develop intergenerational activity and support the learning and life skill development of the students, and produce some fruit and veg to be enjoyed by the care home residents.

The proposal was for funding to support the purchase of tools, a polytunnel, raised beds, plants and a storage unit. We found that this project scored highly with our trustee board, who felt it aligned extremely well with our charitable purpose and vision, was well costed, and had the potential to create a great deal of positive impact for everyone involved. We are delighted to be able to support it, and look forward to working with Teacher James and his students over the coming months. This project will also be supported by our volunteer Foundation Ambassador Declan Fishwick, part of the McCarthy Stone Northern Division Marketing team, who is planning a visit in the coming weeks.