Beyond Housing Community Fund backs 21 local projects in 2025
Beyond Housing has announced the successful completion of the second round of donations from its Community Fund, awarding over £10,000 to 21 projects across Redcar, Scarborough and Whitby.
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The fund, launched in 2024, reflects Beyond Housing’s commitment to investing in neighbourhoods and supporting initiatives that make a difference locally. This year’s grants, worth up to £500 each, were aimed at projects supporting children, youth provision and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.
Applications increased on last year, with 52 projects seeking support totalling more than £25,000. A panel of 15 Beyond Housing customers reviewed and scored the applications, ensuring the funded projects reflect the needs of local communities.
The announcement coincides with National Involvement Week (10–14 November), which highlights the importance of customers having a say in decisions that affect their communities. Beyond Housing’s customer panel approach reflects this, with residents directly involved in selecting which local projects receive funding.
Customer Panel member Terisi, from Scarborough, said: “Being part of the panel gives me the satisfaction of playing a small part in helping organisations, with the support of Beyond Housing, to move forward with their plans to help within the community, providing health and wellbeing together with learning and play opportunities for many people who don't always have access to these facilities.”
Wilma, a panel member from Saltburn-By-The-Sea, added: “It was a very rewarding experience. Such a diverse group of applications and worthy deserving causes. Congratulations to all those successful community groups.”
Among the projects supported was Senses Wellbeing Centre, a not-for-profit Community Interest Company that delivers SEND sensory family activities in Skelton. Director Karen Winspear, said: “I need to thank Beyond Housing because it was such an easy process to apply for the funding. £500 goes a long way here and we’ve been able to put on Wednesday afternoon sessions for our SEND families and populations across not just Redcar & Cleveland but the wider region too.”
In Scarborough, Futureworks NY received £500 to help with their youth development project, supporting young people aged 14 to 18 years who are not attending mainstream education. The funding was put towards the purchase of essential equipment including dyslexia pens, designed for individuals with reading difficulties.
Sarah, Chief Executive & Co-founder at Futureworks, said: “'Thank you to Beyond Housing for supporting Futureworks with this equipment. The dyslexia pens remove barriers for our learners, improving their learning experiences, which then helps with their mental health”.
Laura Young, Community Partnership & Engagement Manager at Beyond Housing, said: “I am so proud to play a part in the Community Fund, supporting our customer panel who have the difficult but rewarding task of deciding the winners, and speaking to the successful groups to hear how the fund has helped their fantastic local projects is truly a joy!”
For more information about Beyond Housing's Community Fund, visit www.beyondhousing.co.uk/be-involved/community-fund/community-fund-success-stories/