In the latest round of approved donations, Darlington Building Society has provided more than £36,000 to local charities and good causes through its 5% Pledge.
The Society’s commitment to donating 5% of its profits to local charities and good causes has reached £172,000 in 2022 alone. Every penny goes on to help those who need it most in our region.
The Society’s Community Impact Strategy ensures that all donations help to support mental health and wellbeing, reduce unemployment, through skills development, and combat loneliness.
Donations approved in September by the Society’s Community Impact Group will help feed families this Christmas, get people to work, boost girl’s confidence and get people out and about in our local countryside.
Recipients of donations from the September meeting include:
- Feeding Families – £8,000
The donation will help combat food poverty this Christmas by providing 200 families with food hampers. Feeding Families helps to plug the gap where people cannot access a food bank – whether that’s due to health, location or status.
- Rubies – £5,000
The donation will help support Rubies GLOW project, which provides a safe space for girls to meet, receive support and develop self-confidence. As part of the weekly sessions, attendees are provided with free food, toiletries and sanitary products. The charity will also use the donation to purchase a camera, tablet, sports/games equipment as many service users do not have access to this kind of equipment at home. - Red Balloons – £5,000
Red Balloons helps promote positive mental health through exercise and free guided walks. The donation will be used to help launch its Ramblers project, a series of guided walks and hikes around the Tees Valley and Yorkshire.
- Wheels2Work – £7,400 The donation will help 40 people get into and stay in employment, by providing mopeds and scooters to those who are unable to access public transport to and from work.
- Studio Burn – £2,400
The donation will enable the charity to secure a venue for the next year to deliver its “I am strong!” project, which supports vulnerable women (18-65yrs) to become more resilient, improve their physical health and increase their social interaction - Trinity Youth – £4,200
Trinity Youth will use the donation to fund their children and family sessions with food, books and kitchen utensils.
- Beyond Limits – £2,000
The donation will be used to purchase Christmas gifts to be delivered to patients at local children’s hospitals. - Angel Trust – £1,000
The donation will go towards the charity’s food bank and pantry service and will be used to purchase a freezer so that more food can be stored for longer.
This donation will pay for the flooring as part of the renovation of the Watson Scout Centre in Carlton-in-Cleveland.
- Cockerton Community Business Group – £250
The donation will fund a PA system and flagpole at the village’s war memorial, to help bring the local community together at various events.
- Darlington Railway Athletic – £300
The local football team will use the donation to purchase training jackets.
Darlington Building Society’s Community Impact Group will next meet in December, where the final donations for the year will be approved.
