- £400,000 Community Anchors’ Fund launched in Glasgow
- Grants will support up to 30 organisations with vital funds in the face of the Covid-19 pandemic
- First major set of grants awarded in Scotland
Virgin Money Foundation has expanded its charitable activities into Glasgow with the launch of a new £400,000 Community Anchors’ Fund, in partnership with the HFD Charitable Foundation. The fund has awarded the first ten of up to 30 grants to support community groups whose activities have been impacted by the Covid-19 crisis.
The new Community Anchors’ Fund has been established alongside HFD Charitable Foundation - the charitable arm of Scottish property development and IT business HFD Group. The grants will support community hubs with a range of costs such as adapting buildings to allow for social distancing, new IT equipment and vital services such as delivering food parcels.
The first ten groups to benefit from the new fund include Cranhill Development Trust (£20,000), Govanhill Baths Community Trust (£15,000), the Community Central Hall in Maryhill (£10,000), Woodlands Community Development Trust (£10,000), Preshal Trust in Govan (£10,000) and Bridgeton Community Learning Campus (£10,000).
Marie Ward, Cranhill Development Trust said: “Cranhill Development Trust is delighted to receive this funding award. Receiving this money means that we are able to make our building safe and ready for providing much needed support to our local community. Without it we estimate it would have been into next year before we would have been able to open following Government safety guidelines. As a result of this funding, by September we will be running programmes helping people into work and supporting older adults and families. Many thanks to Virgin Money Foundation and the HFD Charitable Foundation.”
Mark McRitchie, Chief Executive, Community Central Hall said: "This investment from the Virgin Money Foundation and HFD Charitable Foundation will enable us to upgrade our IT systems, protect our future, and will make a significant difference to how we as a community-facing charity can work with our diverse local community, especially important in these current times where good IT and comms are vital. As we work with the community providing food and support, help with employment and other services, reliable IT is no longer a luxury but a necessity."
Tim Cowen, Manager at Woodlands Community Development Trust said: "Support from the Glasgow Community Anchors’ Fund will make a real difference to our charity at this difficult time. Our community building has been closed since March and as a result we've lost rental income that we rely on. The funding will enable us to buy the equipment we need to start safely running community events outdoors whilst we explore ways of re-opening the building. The support will also help us meet the extra cleaning costs of keeping our premises covid-secure and the IT costs in enabling our staff to continue to work from home. As a result we will be able to scale up our response to the pandemic and provide additional support to people who are isolated or suffering from anxiety or hardship."
As it approaches its fifth anniversary, Virgin Money Foundation’s expansion in Glasgow marks a new chapter in its work to support local groups in and around Virgin Money’s regional heartlands. The Foundation, launched in August 2015 and has granted a total of £8.3m to community groups in the North East of England. The major expansion into Glasgow reflects Virgin Money’s national footprint.
Nancy Doyle-Hall, Executive Director of the Virgin Money Foundation said: “This is an important step in funding for the Virgin Money Foundation as it expands its reach into Glasgow. It’s clear to us that these organisations not only play a vital role in our communities but have gone above and beyond to support their communities during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“The pandemic changed all of our lives and the new funding from the Virgin Money Foundation and the HFD Charitable Foundation will help those organisations continue their hard work supporting some of the hardest hit communities in the city.”
Karene Hill, trustee of the HFD Charitable Foundation said: “As Scotland begins to emerge from lockdown, charities and community groups will undoubtedly play a crucial role in supporting those most in need. By partnering with the Virgin Money Foundation, we hope to provide a much-needed boost for organisations in Glasgow and the surrounding areas as they adapt to a range of new measures and guidelines in order to continue delivering essential services.”
HFD Group is the developer of 177 Bothwell Street, which is set to become Virgin Money’s new headquarters in Glasgow and will be the city’s largest single office building. An independent Economic Impact Assessment concluded that the development, due to complete next summer, is expected to generate £2.8 billion of gross value added (GVA) to the Scottish economy over 25 years.
The company’s Charitable Foundation has made a significant contribution towards the Community Anchors’ Fund, as part of its ongoing commitment to support good causes in the local area.
Media Contact:
Tel: 0800 066 5998
E-mail: press.office@virginmoney.com
Full List of Funding Awards
| Organisation Name | Grant Award |
| Bridgeton Community Learning Campus, Dale Street, Bridgeton | £10,000 |
| Community Central Hall, Maryhill Road, Glasgow | £10,000 |
| Cranhill Development Trust, Bellrock Street, Glasgow | £20,000 |
| Preshal Trust, Aboukir Street, Glasgow | £10,000 |
| Woodlands Community Development Trust, Ashley Street, Glasgow | £10,000 |
| Connect Community Trust, Newhills Road, Glasgow | £20,000 |
| Crossroads Youth & Community Association, Abbotsford Place, Glasgow | £10,000 |
| Govanhill Baths Community Trust, Calder Street, Glasgow | £15,000 |
| Rosemount Lifelong Learning, Royston Road, Glasgow | £10,000 |
| Whiteinch Centre, Northinch Street, Glasgow | £10,000 |
About Virgin Money Foundation
- The Virgin Money Foundation launched in 2015 as an independent charitable foundation focused initially on community projects in the North-East of England and growing to operate throughout the UK over time. It promotes the sustainable regeneration of communities that have experienced social and economic decline. Since launch it has awarded approaching £10million in grants to community organisations across the UK.
- Virgin Money Foundation seeks to work jointly with other funders, making additional funds available for great local projects. They have developed a partnership with HFD Charitable Foundation to extend the funding available in Glasgow.
- Visit virginmoneyfoundation.org.uk for further details.
- The Virgin Money Foundation. Charitable company limited by guarantee. Registered in England and Wales Company No. 9457101. Charity No. 1161290. Registered Office: Jubilee House, Gosforth, Newcastle Upon Tyne, United Kingdom, NE3 4PL.
About HFD Group
- HFD Group is Scotland’s leading commercial property company. Over the last 30 years, it has built a solid reputation for high quality commercial developments and innovation. Predominantly office led, HFD’s portfolio of businesses includes industrial, datacentre, retail, and leisure projects for a range of sectors and occupiers. Its range of services spans development and construction to property management and data services.
For more information, please visit: https://www.hfdgroup.com/ Link opens in a new window