The Cambridge donates extra £160k for local charity grants

November 2, 2021

The Cambridge Building Society has donated a further £160,000 from dormant accounts to provide grants to local charities that support homes and housing.

The additional funds mean The Cambridge Building Society Community Fund’s grant pot now has more than £650,000 available for local charities to apply for.

Chief Executive, Peter Burrows, said: “We are delighted to top up our fund with additional money to support charitable groups committed to helping vulnerable people with their housing needs.

“The grants we have already awarded are having an impact on the lives of local people. We are committed to ensuring we do everything we can to support a range of community groups and charities who face increasing challenges at this time.”

Four local charities have so far been awarded grants – homeless accommodation service, Cambridge Cyrenians, charitable housing association, CHS Group, support centre, Wintercomfort and Disability Huntingdonshire, which provides advice and support for older people.

The Society launched its charitable fund in September 2020 with an initial £500,000 made available through its participation in the Dormant Assets Scheme, a UK Government programme that enables financial institutions to use dormant funds for the public good.

The Fund can be accessed via a twice yearly grant application programme, which awards up to £10,000 to charities, community groups and organisations operating within a 15 mile radius of The Cambridge’s branch and store network.

It is just one of a number of initiatives in the ‘Making The Difference’ community programme – the Society’s commitment to find new ways to help people have a home, and to work with the community to support those who offer services for shelter and housing.

The Cambridge was one of the first building societies to sign up to the Dormant Assets Scheme and has since been advising others who want to undertake similar projects.

The Cambridge Building Society Community Fund is administered through the Cambridgeshire Community Foundation, which supports local community projects.

Applications for grants are made via the Cambridgeshire Community Foundation with deadlines at the beginning of May and November each year.