LHC continues its strong focus on social value this year, both through its frameworks – the latest of which have included new evaluation processes to increase opportunities for more EDI conscious companies who undertake significant community initiatives – and through its Community Benefit Fund
In order to give back to the communities that LHC and its clients serve, it is delighted to announce its Community Benefit Fund grants for this year (see the full list of grantees at the end of this story).
In each region that it operates, LHC members have the opportunity to create and distribute a Community Benefit Fund generated from the rebate they receive if they spend over a specified threshold on LHC frameworks.
To provide support and empowerment to community organisations and their residents where it’s needed most, and help enable their strength and success, LHC appointed Locality as the independent fund manager to assist in the delivery of its Community Benefit Fund across London and the South East back in 2019.
Locality are a national membership network who invest in the power of community, and support organisations offering specialist advice and peer learning, and campaign with members for a fairer society. They recently held a social impact workshop for the latest cohort of LHC grantees, who came together to network, share experiences, inspiration, and details of their projects.
Dave Ahlquist, development manager for Locality, said: “Thanks to the LHC members, our champions, and partners in the boroughs for helping us select such a fantastic cohort this year! As well as making the awards, Locality aims to support the grantee organisations throughout the year and into the future. We look forward to working with them to maximise their social value starting which started with our impact measurement workshop in February.”
LHC Community Benefit Fund has supported many local organisations
Ethan James, acting regional manager for LHC London & South East said: “We are extremely proud that the LHC Community Benefit Fund has been able to support so many incredible local organisations as well as the people they serve. Yet again, it has been a fantastic year and we are really pleased to see such a diverse range of organisations awarded grant funding for the year ahead.
We thank our past and present grantees for all their hard work, and Locality for their crucial role in delivering this scheme. To hear and see the impact the fund is having on people’s lives is truly astonishing and we look forward to continuing this for many years to come.”
Now in its third year of allocating grants, the fund continues to be used to make a difference to a wide range of communities across the region, operating in eight local authority areas.
Aided 51 projects so far
It has assisted 51 projects so far and invested in excess of £325,000 in supporting well-deserving organisations to undertake a vast array of work within their local communities and demonstrate a real positive impact. All those chosen to receive the fund show meaningful work that serves their communities in one of these key areas:
- Outcomes for young people
- Health inequalities or social prescribing
- Jobs and skills: Increased participation for underrepresented groups
They range from youth centres, women’s groups, assisted learning workshops and employment programmes to asylum seeker aid, restoration of community buildings and more.
Here’s a few words from just of some of the organisations that have received a helping hand from the Community Benefit Fund, and a snapshot of the amazing work they do.
Dr Etheldreda Kong from Brent Chinese Association who are a grantee for this year commented: “Without the funding from LHC, a small young community organisation like ours would not be able to have the much-needed cultural, health and well-being activities for the communities that we do.”
Supporting women’s groups
Lucy Bingham from Holloway Neighbourhood Group also commented: “The LHC Community Benefit Fund is supporting a partnership of grassroots women’s groups in north Islington. Not only will we be able to deliver more activities to assist the wellbeing of our members, but it will also enable our groups to work more closely together – learning from each other’s good practice, collaborating around service delivery, and offering peer support.”
‘LHC grant has made a great impact on the Youth Club’
Joycelyn Dankwa from Shepherdfold Ministry added: “The grant came at the right time, and it has made a great impact on the Youth Club here. It helps us to maintain our staff and volunteers to provide a service that our young people need. We have a great space and different activities to get them engaged and offer 1-2-1 homework mentoring. It amazing to see how much they love the space and enjoy themselves, that is why this funding is like gold to us.”
Reduce social isolation
Grantees of the previous year’s fund, Sebert Graham from Wycombe Multicultural Organisation commented: “The Hilltop Community Centre expansion and refurbishment project has helped us enhance opportunities for people to come together to strengthen community relations and help reduce social isolation in more comfortable facilities, something that is more important than ever following the effects of the pandemic.”
Clare Samways from The Oasis Partnership added: “We were fortunate last year to receive significant funding to begin initial works on a historic building that we were so pleased to be able to bring back to life, for community purpose and use.”
The full list of LHC grantees for 2021/2022 are as follows:
