Newcastle Building Society Puts Communities First with £1m Donation to Help Tackle Region’s Biggest Challenges

Newcastle Building Society announces a £1m donation to help improve lives for people across the region, by tackling some of the biggest challenges facing communities in the North East, Cumbria, and North Yorkshire.

The donation into the Newcastle Building Society Community Fund boosts the total value of the investment to more than £3.5m, making it one of the largest of its type in the country. The fund, which is held by the Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland, is expected to pay out around £150,000 each and every year to charities tackling issues linked to food poverty, work and opportunity, debt management, homelessness, and sustainability.

Andrew Haigh, chief executive at Newcastle Building Society, said: “Providing grants to charities supports the organisations working directly with people in need, and helps target the key issues in our communities. The Community Fund is one of the most powerful ways we deliver the Society’s purpose to connect our communities with a better financial future. We’re delighted to make this additional donation to the fund, allowing us to do even more in our communities, and locks in a reliable source of significant income for our incredible local charities in 2025, and for generations to come.

“Our long-term partnership with the Community Foundation means we benefit from their unique expertise in maximising returns from the fund and helping direct support to local communities across the region.”

In the past decade the Newcastle Building Society Community Fund has benefitted hundreds of charities and many thousands of people in communities served by the Society’s expanding branch network.

Based in Newcastle, Friends Action North East supports those with learning disabilities and autism aged 16+ to build meaningful friendships and lead a happier and more active life. They were recently awarded a £5,000 grant from the Newcastle Building Society Community Fund to pilot a new social interaction and workplace skills training workshop.

The grant will fund a training officer who will work with 40 service users over the next 12 months, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to navigate social interactions at work or in education and remove barriers into employment.

Sally Evans, Project Manager at Friends Action North East, said: “Developing friendships and having good mental health helps people to live a happy and fulfilling life, as active, contributing members of the community.

“We already successfully deliver a series of workshops and social recovery groups that help our members achieve this, allowing them to overcome their specific challenges and gain more control over their lives.

“The grant funding we’ve received from Newcastle Building Society’s Community Fund has enabled us to extend our support further, launching a new social interaction in the workplace project.

“Participants will learn how to navigate workplace relationships, establishing boundaries with both professional and friendly interactions. For those who have additional needs, it will boost their confidence and make them feel less anxious about their social skills, helping them maintain meaningful employment.

“For employers, our project will also allow them to better understand ‘reasonable adjustments’ and how they and their teams can support employees with additional needs. Ultimately, helping reduce the growing demand on other services in our communities.”

Rob Williamson, chief executive at Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland, said: “Newcastle Building Society is our largest corporate donor and we’ve enjoyed a significant long-term relationship over the past 35 years. The Society’s commitment to the region through the Community Fund directs support to a huge range of projects, creating opportunity and helping people all over the region. The use of an endowment fund allows businesses to make a long-term commitment to their communities and provides a sustainable source of funds for the charity sector.

“Newcastle Building Society’s latest contribution to their fund will make a huge difference in our region, targeting some of the most pressing issues we face.”

The deadline for applications for the next round of grants from the Newcastle Building Society Community Fund is 15th April 2025. For more information or to nominate a charity for funding, visit www.newcastle.co.uk/powering-communities/community-grants