Burnley charities awarded thousands of pounds to bring their projects to life
10 charities and community groups across the Burnley area have been awarded thousands of pounds to fund much needed community projects.
Managed by the Community Foundation for Lancashire, the Christal Foundation has been established as a permanent charitable endowment fund. Proceeds of the fund will be used to support local grassroots charities that work to improve the lives of people in Burnley.
Successful organisations have been awarded grants up to £3,000 each to fund operational costs for projects and contributions towards core costs for project development and research.
Among those successful were Burnley Youth Theatre (BYT), who received £3,000 to run the “A more diverse BYT” project, reaching over 100 people. The grant will be used to carry out research into the barriers to participation in the arts for local BAMER (Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic, and Refugee) communities in Burnley. The project will involve working with local schools, community partners and community settings to meet a diverse range of people from BAMER communities in the town including Asian Heritage, Eastern European and Syrian Refugees.
5 Ways Boxing Academy were awarded £3,000 to run the “Up to Us” project, supporting 40 young people. The project will offer the participants a well-equipped and safe venue where they can learn new skills, techniques and knowledge to improve their confidence and their sense of self-worth.
Community Foundation for Lancashire Chief Executive, Rae Brooke said; “The Community Foundation for Lancashire is excited to award the first round of grants to local charities via the Christal Foundation, which will be open to applicants on an annual basis. We are really looking forward to seeing the impact of their work, supporting local people across Burnley and making a positive difference.”
Community Foundation for Lancashire uses an endowment-based model in order to provide funding for the grants, with significant gifts made by individuals, families and business, which are then invested in order to provide a funding source for Lancashire in perpetuity. Grants from this round were made using the returns on this investment.