The Leading Lives Community Benefit Fund awards grants to not-for-profit organisations and community groups who share our vision to support people to live the life they choose and to progress in life.
In line with our social enterprise principles, we established this Community Benefit Fund in 2013, and since then we have allocated £120,000 to 45 local community projects.
Our 2022 fund is hoping to contribute to projects that support adults and young people in transition with social care needs (e.g. people with learning disabilities, physical disabilities, Autistic people, older people etc.) and family carers in the geographical area (i.e. Suffolk, north-west Essex and south-east Norfolk) in which our company operates.
The fund will award grants to organisations – charities, community groups, voluntary groups. We will not fund individuals or commercial organisations. We will award grants to charities, social enterprises and other not for profit organisations.
The application period runs from 1st February to 9th March 2022. To apply, please complete the application form and return to: gemma.thompson@leadinglives.org.uk
Community Benefit Fund 2022
Here are the successful projects we supported in 2022.
Beck Row, Holywell Row & Kenny Hill Parish Council
Funding for the installation of a cycle park to provide a safe environment for children to learn to ride their bikes and practise road safety and
provide a link for the disabled community to get between Oak Drive and Lamble Close safely without going near a busy main road.
Fairview Farm Enterprises CIC
Funding to equip the sensory and quiet room which are vital for our more complex young people and those who struggle on a daily basis with their mental health.
Greener Growth CIC
Funding to transform an unused piece of adjacent land into a sustainable, multi-sensory and wildlife rich therapeutic garden. The new garden will be full of sensory elements, naturalistic planting, quiet areas, all combining to promote and support the treatment, recuperation and recovery of patients at Wedgwood House, the mental health hospital in Bury St Edmunds.
Inclusive Response CIC
Funding for their ‘Edge Forward’ programme designed for children and young people to help them discover the support required to move forward from this pandemic.
Lofty Heights CIC
Funding to purchase an industrial Petrol Chipper-Shredder. This needed item would be used across a plethora of services to help customers reduce their waste costs and cutting the cost of the job down by 30%-40% at a time when customers are already struggling with the rise in living costs.
Our Special Friends
Funding for supporting people who are experiencing times of vulnerability and where ownership of a pet, or contact with an animal, is crucial to enable them to cope.
Pathways Care Farm
Funding to build bespoke workstations for wheelchair users so they can participate in the vegetable box project and enjoy companionship and conversation whilst engaged in purposeful and meaningful activity.
Steel Bones
Funding for a participatory music, dance, crafts afternoon to help amputees who are struggling with anxiety, reduced confidence re-integrate back into the community and engage in activities they never thought possible post Pandemic.
Suffolk Family Carers
Funding to develop their digital offer for family carers by creating inclusive digital resources that help individuals identify themselves or others as a family carer.
Suffolk Sight
Funding to employ a Technology Advisor to support, guide and train people to use their PCs, smartphones, tablets and smart speakers to enable them to communicate with friends and family and to take part in virtual community events and activities.
The Befriending Scheme
Funding to support ‘Mindful Mondays’ which engages with marginalised groups within the local community to learn new skills and talk openly in a safe space about their issues.
West Suffolk Hive CIC
Funding for family forest school sessions for children and young people with additional needs so they can benefit from taking part in organised activities such as cooking, whittling, painting, den building, and tree planting with forest school trained practitioners.
The Sunflower Community Care Farm CIC
Funding to financially support economically disadvantaged women, who are struggling with anxiety and depression, to attend the care farm
It’s great to see the impact of the investment into these fantastic projects – here is a recent Facebook post from LEAPS who we supported with their Out, Not In! Project.
