Access Community Trust is one of 100 UK charities to be awarded a £100k donation from Barclays, which will help them to support young people (aged 25 and under) with its unique EAST Community Circles service.
Charities were invited to apply for one of 100 donations of £100,000, and Barclays were inundated by hundreds of applications from charities across the UK, who are struggling to deliver on-the-ground support to vulnerable communities impacted by the crisis.
Barclays launched their 100×100 UK COVID-19 Community Relief Programme to support COVID-19 relief work in local communities. The programme, which forms part of their wider COVID-19 Community Aid Package, focuses on supporting UK charity partners who are meeting the immediate needs of people in our communities, including low-income families, those facing financial hardship, isolated elderly people and key workers.
EAST Community Circles, which operates throughout Suffolk and Norfolk, specifically supports young people deeply affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. This new local free services provides person-centred support around a broad range of themes including, mental health guidance, getting physically active, combating loneliness, educational and employment help, provision of personalised care packages, financial advice and more.
Launching the service, Emma Ratzer MBE, CEO of Access Community Trust stated: “Young people remain one of the worst-affected groups by the continuing pandemic, this service has enabled Access to provide enhanced and immediate help to those under 25 this winter, by addressing their concerns and building a supportive peer network around each young person seeking assistance.”
Nigel Higgins, Barclays Chairman, said: “COVID-19 has created an unprecedented social and economic impact in the UK, with many experiencing greater hardship due to the crisis. Incredible charities, such as Access Community Trust have been playing a vital role in the UK’s response to the pandemic, ensuring urgent help reaches those most in need of support. As a bank we have been doing all we can for our customers, clients and colleagues, and we hope that by partnering with Access Community Trust and many other charities across the UK, collectively we can ensure that as many people as possible in the communities in which we live and work are supported through this crisis.”