Foundations Furniture has received a grant of £27,500 from Nationwide as part of their Community Grants programme, which brings their members and colleagues together to help tackle the housing crisis.
The funding will enable Foundations to provide pre-loved furniture to Gateshead households affected by furniture poverty and crisis.
Each year, the charity supports hundreds of households across Gateshead with furniture and appliances, donated from residents across Tyne and Wear. Recently, the number of households accessing support from the charity has grown.
This comes at a time when the cost of living has increased, and furniture is no exception. The price of buying furniture has increased by 31% since January 2020, and the cost of appliances has increased by 17% (Office of National Statistics - 2023). Affordable and, whenever possible, free furniture is therefore vital to ensure households can live in safety and comfort during times of hardship.
Foundations Furniture said:
“We are thrilled to have received a grant from the Nationwide Community Fund, which will enable us to provide furniture to more households in Gateshead who are facing financial hardship. Our team witnesses the positive impact of our deliveries every day and later receives heartwarming feedback from those we've helped. From better sleep to the ability to host visitors, and removing financial stress, we know that providing donated furniture to more households will make a significant difference. Thanks to Nationwide, we can continue to serve our community and make a difference.”
Britain’s biggest building society has run its Community Grants programme since 2017 – offering grants of up to £60,000 to local charities and projects, particularly those focused on housing. This year, it’s awarded a total of £5.1 million to 105 housing related projects across the UK.
Kirsty Hall, Social Investment Manager at Nationwide Building Society, said:
“Helping local communities and charities is at the heart of what it means to be a building society for Nationwide. We are pleased our Community Grants programme is going to make a difference through this £27,500 grant to Foundations, helping them make a difference to the lives of those who rely on their services.”
Over the last six years, Nationwide Building Society has awarded £27 million to housing charities up and down the UK, helping make the lives better for almost 148,800 people.
It was Nationwide members who decided that to give at least 1% of our pre-tax profits to local causes, all over the UK. That was back in 2007 - and today, they are still as passionate about giving back. With this money, Nationwide runs a number of programmes, such as the Community Grants programme. Applications are shortlisted and then regional Community Boards, made up of members and colleagues, come together to award the grants. Applications have to support at least one of Nationwide's social priorities: preventing people from losing a home, helping people into a home, and supporting people to thrive within their home environment.
For further information about Foundations Furniture please contact the charity on 0191 4778337, visit the website www.foundationsfurniture.co.uk, or visit the charity at 1-6 Teams Craft Workshops, Askew Road West, Gateshead, NE8 2PB. (Foundations is open every weekday excluding bank holidays, between 9am and 4pm).