• Crossroads Care and The Children’s Centre, from Douglas, to use money towards community venture scheme and junior leadership programme
• 132 Community Funds awarded across the UK by Lloyds Banking Group including Crossroads Care and The Children’s Centre
Crossroads Care and The Children’s Centre were both awarded ?5,000 from Lloyds Banking Group as part of its Community Fund, which has given grants to 132 projects across the UK to enable them to help give back to the communities in which the Group operates. Lucy Felton, Community Ambassador at Lloyds Banking Group, awarded the two charities with the grants at a handover ceremony this week. Alex Wilson of Crossroads Care received their grant at the Carers’ Centre in Derby Square where Crossroads Care, established to improve the lives of carers, promotes, offers support and delivers high quality services to carers and people with care needs on the Isle of Man. John Knight of The Children’s Centre received their award at The Community Farm on Old Castletown Road where they develop community initiatives to enable children, young people and families to realise their full potential.
The Lloyds Banking Group Community Fund provides much needed funding to organisations working locally to inspire and support young people. To support its partnership of the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic Torch Relays, the Community Fund launched to Lloyds Banking Group colleagues allowing them to nominate local organisations that they felt deserved support. Out of nearly 1,500 nominated charities, two worthy organisations from each of the 66 communities across the UK have been awarded ?5,000 with The Children’s Centre winning the majority public vote – a total ?660,000 investment into UK communities.
Alex Wilson received the Community Fund award on behalf of Crossroads Care this week at the Carers’ Centre. Commenting on the grant, she enthused:
"This is a marvellous privilege and one that we are extremely grateful to receive. Crossroads Care will use the money for the Crossroads Community Venture Scheme, which is a training programme designed to help over 16s with learning difficulties get a better chance at work placement. The programme lasts for 16 weeks and covers a range of activities, such as CV writing and interview techniques, designed to enable young adults with learning disabilities to access gainful employment. After the course, trainees will receive a work placement or be provided with an internal job doing services for Crossroads. The grant will enable us to fund the programme for two new clients and help emphasise to the government that such a scheme is needed. The programme is extremely beneficial to people with disabilities and shows that they are valued members of society. Simultaneously, it also aids parents by offering a break from the long hours of caring and allowing them to pursue a career of their own.”
John Knight of The Children’s Centre also commented on the grant:
“It’s fabulous to be successful in a public vote. We have been working on a programme in the community for junior leadership, which equips young leaders to make a difference within their community. This grant will help secure much needed support for aspiring community leaders over the next year.”
Lloyds Banking Group’s Community Ambassador, Lucy Felton, added:
“Becoming the best bank for customers means being the best bank for our communities. Lloyds Banking Group has around 30 million customers and has a clear role in helping communities thrive. The Community Fund highlights the Group’s on-going commitment to the communities we serve to help Britain prosper. We are very proud to support Crossroads Care and The Children’s Centre in continuing the great work that they are doing in the Isle of Man and we eagerly await seeing the difference the award will make.”
The two charities make up the 132 organisations that have benefited from the award in England, Wales, Scotland, Northern Ireland, The Channel Islands and the Isle of Man.
Photo caption - (from left to right) Rachel Callister, Alex Wilson, Katie Saunders, Gillian Corkill, Christopher Hattersley, Jackie Betteridge, Julia Karran and Lucy Felton (Lloyds Banking Group).
