B&Q Foundation opens with grants of up to £5k available
Melanie May | 6 October 2020 | News
B&Q has set up a new foundation, with grants of up to £5,000 available for local charities that support people experiencing bad housing or homelessness, as well as community projects looking to improve their spaces.
The B&Q Foundation officially launched yesterday (5 October) with an initial fund of £500,000, raised this year to date by B&Q to support charities across the UK.
It has already awarded its first grants and is now calling for charities to apply now for the next round of funding, which will be awarded before the end of the year.
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The Foundation awarded £175,000 in its first round of grants to 39 charities across the UK, ranging from homelessness and abuse charities, to children’s hospices and rehabilitation centres. The grants will be used for projects including creating community gardens, redecorating properties, and converting rooms at hostels to additional bedrooms.
One of the first grants has been awarded to homelessness charity St Martins in Norwich (pictured), which supports vulnerable adults who are homeless or at risk of homelessness. The £3,500 grant is being used to create a safe and welcoming outdoor area for clients to wait for appointments, and meet and socialise in without the fear of being moved on.
Another charity, Herts Young Homeless charity in Hatfield, is using its £5,000 grant from the B&Q Foundation to help furnish accommodation for the vulnerable 16-24 year olds at risk of homelessness it supports.
Catherine Burge, Transformation Director, B&Q and Chair, B&Q Foundation, said:
“The B&Q Foundation was born out of a belief that anyone can improve where they live to make life better. We are committed to helping charities transform the environment around their clients, to have a positive impact on their physical and mental health. This year has been difficult for so many in different ways, with charities suffering the double whammy of falling donations and increased need for their services. It felt the right time to launch the Foundation and we look forward to supporting more charities and communities over the months and years to come.”
The £500,000 raised this year to date was primarily from the sale of facemasks at B&Q, with all profits going to the B&Q Foundation. B&Q will continue to support the B&Q Foundation by launching further initiatives to raise funds in-store, as well as providing volunteers from its teams and donating products.
Past B&Q charitable support
- B&Q offers £50-500 in goods for local environmental projects (24 April 2004)
- B&Q awards offer up to £10,000 for 40 organisations (26 January 2009)
- B&Q’s One Planet Living Awards open for entries (10 February 2008)
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.