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Community Support Fund 2024

Find out how our Community Support Fund was allocated to local charities that support the Black Country community. 

Supporting those that give back to our local community

This year’s Community Support Fund was focused on funding Black Country based charities and organisations that support the local region across our three areas – financial resilience, employment, and housing support. We focused on these areas as we want to support struggling individuals across the region to build their overall resilience.

We wanted our local customers and employees to have a say in how we support our community, so we asked them to nominate charities that they feel have a big impact within the community.

Funding recipients

After careful consideration of the 50 nominations, we made the decision to provide funding to 9 charities. 

We donated £5,000 each to the 3 charities below.

Steps to Work

The Walsall-based charity is committed to driving change in its community, offering experienced employment support services to those in need.

Steps to Work aspire to extend the reach of their services to more deprived areas around the Black Country.

Our funds will help support their Pleck Community Hub, which offers support services to local communities, including IAG (information, advice, and guidance), budgeting, employability support, and more.

Access 2 Business

Access 2 Business is a Wolverhampton-based charity that has been supporting existing businesses and individuals struggling to transition back into the workplace for over 20 years. 

Their aspiration is to build their presence more across the Dudley region, ensuring the local community has help at hand. 

They will use our funds to develop its social economy drive to help small local businesses grow.

Life Centre Debt Advice

Based in Stourbridge, Life Centre Debt Advice is a team of qualified debt advisers that offer debt advice to the local community. They also provide money management services to individuals in need. 

Their aspiration is to expand their reach within the Black Country and help communities within Brierley hill. 

Our donation will do just that. It will help them continue their fantastic work in ensuring that individuals in deprived areas receive the support they need in reducing their chances of debt.

We also donated £2,500 to each of the below

With over 170 centres nationwide, Springs Church Debt Service offers face-to-face advice on debt and household budgeting. Our donation will support their current efforts to help individuals needing advice on how to budget and take positive steps to control their debts.

Brierley Hill Project's mission is to provide a safe space for those in need of financial, employment, debt, or mental health support. Our donation will help them continue providing focused mentoring services to individuals who need it.

For over 50 years, Good Shepherd Wolverhampton has been on a mission to end homelessness and create pathways out of poverty within the local area. Our donation will help continue their great work in supporting individuals in need of a home and those with substance abuse issues.

Working across the Black Country and Sandwell, Murray Hall Community Trust offers support to those suffering from poor mental health, financial deprivation, and digital exclusion. Our donation will help continue their incredible efforts to shape the local community and ensure support is there when needed.

Refugee and Migrant Centre have supported tens of thousands of asylum seekers, refugees, EU migrants, undocumented people and those with uncertain immigration status. Our donation will help continue their work on offering budgeting advice, financial planning, and legal aid.

Since 1979, CHADD has been providing social housing to vulnerable individuals within the Dudley area. Currently, they provide 290 supported homes. Our donations will help them continue their efforts in supporting young families, homeless young people, and over-55s.