4,000 young people to benefit from largest ever National Express Foundation grants
The National Express Foundation, a charity that helps disadvantaged young people, has once again pledged life changing sums of money to young people via community groups and educational institutions this month.
Since it was launched in 2012, Foundation funding has helped over 22,000 young people. Combined with a round of funding earlier in the year, this year’s grant is expected to benefit over 4,000 young people by supporting them with the cost of their studies and also helping groups to deliver educational and developmental activities for youth in the community.
Anthony Vigor, Chairman of the National Express Foundation, said:
“We are delighted to announce the second round National Express Foundation funding awards for 2019. This is the largest grant we have ever made in a single year, with a total of over £450,000 of funding pledged this year to support over 4,000 young people. We are proud that this funding will help deliver even more positive and developmental activities for local young people and help those who might not otherwise be able to continue with their studies in further and higher education.”
The second funding round of 2019 opened back in October, with groups tasked with providing a simple ‘elevator pitch’ to the team as part of a new, streamlined application process. With over 150 applications received, a rigorous sifting process took place before 15 community groups were awarded a total of £167,500 in funding.
A further £60,000 will be awarded to the University of Bath and Queen Alexandra College Birmingham over three years benefiting 12 students from disadvantaged backgrounds and 30 students with learning difficulties on supported internships respectively.
Maidstone & Mid Kent Mind will use a grant of £10,000 to train 120 young people to be Mental Health Champions. The qualification increases awareness around young people’s mental health but also serves to reduce stigma around mental ill health. The accredited qualification increases the knowledge and confidence of young people they can use throughout their career.
Julie Blackmore, CEO of Maidstone & Mid Kent Mind, said:
“We are delighted to have been awarded £10,000 from National Express Foundation to allow us to deliver MHFA Champions Course throughout the boroughs of Maidstone and Swale to young people aged 16 – 24 years. The one day programme teaches you how to identify when another young person might be experiencing a mental health issue and how to guide them to get the help they need.
“We are most grateful that National Express Foundation recognise the importance of supporting young people’s mental health and look forward to being able to provide this support to so many young people.”
The full list of community groups to benefit from the Foundation’s second round community grant funding in 2019 are:
Cannon Street Memorial Baptist Church (CSMBC) – £10,000
Coventry Youth for Christ – £10,000
EmployabilityUK – £20,000
Gather Dudley CIC – £5,000
Hall Green Youth – £5,000
Maidstone & Mid Kent Mind – £10,000
Moseley Road Baths CIO – £10,000
New Testament Church of God – Highgate Birmingham – £10,000
Positive Youth Foundation- £20,000
Springs Church – £2,500
Tara Martins Community Project CIC – £10,000
The Cultural Connection – £5,000
The Wildlife Trust for Birmingham and the Black Country – £20,000
Young Enterprise – £20,000
Young Lives Foundation – £10,000
Read more about the National Express Foundation here. For more information on the community groups funded this round please click here, and for more information on the educational institution bursary awards please click here.
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