Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales

What a week! I’ve met so many new people across the Lloyds Banking Group community. I started the week seeing some amazing volunteers in action as they supported two small charities in Birmingham (see previous post!) On Wednesday, I joined the Lloyds Breakthrough network (their womens network which has over 10,000 members 🤯) to mark and celebrate #InternationalWomensDay 🫶 . The event had a real buzz in the room and was also live streamed to hundreds of passionate colleagues from across the Group. I was inspired by Tabitha Morton from UN Women UK and enjoyed hearing from her and the panel- Laura Needham, Kate Cheetham and John Winter. my big takeaways were: - Tabitha's sentiment of stay curious, keep educated and keep asking questioning, and that we’re all going to get it wrong sometimes and that’s okay. - Kate sharing her experience of prejudice in the workplace which led her to double down on who she is and her advice to always be authentically yourself. - And John's reminder that no matter how good you are at communicating, get better! It was also great to hear from Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales' very own Aferdita Pacrami, who did an awesome job of sharing what we do, why we do it and interviewed Charlotte Davis about her experience and journey to becoming a trustee for Ella's This afternoon I then spent some time with some of Lloyds Banking Group Community Banking colleagues at an event hosted by Miles Ravenhill. It was a pleasure to speak alongside Amelia Spackman and Emily Lewis and share how teams can get involved in volunteering enabling them reach and support the local communities they live and work in whilst developing their own skills. It was also fab to hear Miles reflect on his own mentoring experience when he was introduced to a charity through the Foundation via one of our Regional Managers Peter Cunnison. Oh, and Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales turns 40 this year, so there were plenty of cakes from the incredible Luminary Bakery 🎉 #EmployeeEngagement #SkillsBasedVolunteering #InternationalWomensDay

🧐 One in five of the #SmallButVital charities we support are led by women, for women. 💪 We also have hundreds of women from Lloyds Banking Group who currently volunteer their time and skills as mentors, trustees, and through other skills-based volunteering opportunities with the Foundation’s charity partners. In fact, we have been offering iterations of skill-based volunteering since 1992, when colleagues provided in-house training sessions free of charge to managers from the charitable sector. Even then, this was widely welcomed as a valuable alternative to cash. In our latest blog, Sharon Hillier and Ugo Egenti from Lloyds Banking Group share their experience of supporting and mentoring female leaders in the charity sector to develop and thrive. "I absolutely loved it, and would recommend the mentoring programme to anyone. My mentee just needed someone to talk to honestly outside of her workplace and some guidance to find her own way forward. There is no better feeling than coming off a call with her to see her smiling and believing in herself to try something new, knowing all I did was listen and support her in getting to her own decision." - Sharon The CRUMBS Project | POW Nottingham #WomenSupportingWomen #InternationalWomensDay #MentoringSchemes #SupportingCommunitiesTogether https://ow.ly/ax1Q50VbUvv

Some positive impact from #SmallButVital Expert Link 2019, which we fund through our National Influencing programme. They spoke at a session with Debbie Abrahams and shared lived experience about the challenges within the #WelfareSystem. We know small charities like Expert Link 2019 are best qualified to identify where policies and systems are failing on the ground. Not only this, they are best positioned to develop potential solutions, try new ways of working or collaborate with others to best support those in need. So its great to see Committee Roundtables are offering smaller charities the space and time to speak about things they see day-to-day.

A trip down memory lane for #LBFEW40! In 2017, we Invested £1.6 million to fund 16 projects in the domestic and sexual abuse sector. Giving targeted funding for influencing and pushing for change allowed charities to look beyond immediate issues, focus on the potential for wider impact, and vitally, give them the breathing room to get a clearer picture of the challenges and provide the resources to help surmount them. We saw many successes throughout the programme. The charities we supported achieved important changes that are still in place today. including: 1️⃣Statutory organisations in Leeds adopted a city-wide policy statement on supporting adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse. 2️⃣National Police Chiefs' Council adopted a new policy restricting the sharing of immigration data relating to victims. 3️⃣The UK Government was influenced to invest funding in supporting domestic abuse services to meet the needs of LGBTQ+ survivors better. We’ve learned a lot from funding projects in this way. We know that to create a truly just and compassionate society, we need fund, support and develop charities so they can take their expertise and influence the change needed locally and nationally to improve the lives of women experiencing complex issues such as domestic and sexual abuse. Learn more about our work to support charities to influence change on complex issues affecting women at https://lnkd.in/eKNAmajK, or watch a video from #SmallButVital Latin American Women's Rights Service and their #StepUpMigrantWomen campaign, which we supported through the programme. https://lnkd.in/eQGWxWAb Follow the organisations we funded under the programme: Ann Craft Trust | Agenda Alliance | CARMARTHEN DOMESTIC ABUSE SERVICES LIMITED | CARMARTHENSHIRE PEOPLE FIRST | Galop | MY SISTER'S PLACE | MASH (Manchester Action on Street Health) | Trafford Rape Crisis | New Pathways | Rape Crisis England & Wales | Reducing the Risk of Domestic Abuse | Re:Shape | Rights of Women | Public Law Project | SARSAS (Somerset and Avon Rape and Sexual Abuse Support) | The Green House | Womankind | Barnardo's | Women’s Counselling and Therapy Service | Leeds Involving People | Male Survivors Partnership #SupportingCommunitiesTogether #InternationalWomensDay

We've been running our Charity Response Forums for the past five years, connecting volunteers from Lloyds Banking Group with our #SmallButVital charity partners. Yesterday marked a significant milestone when we hosted our very first in-person session! It was incredible to see colleagues and charity representatives come together to tackle the challenges faced by Saathi House and Ileys Community Association. Through collaboration and shared perspectives, we worked on solutions to help these charities thrive. This initiative is just one of many ways Lloyds Banking Group colleagues support our partner charities. From Skills Exchange, where colleagues contribute their expertise to solve tricky problems or unlock new opportunities, to mentoring and even joining charity boards as trustees. And it’s not just the charities that benefit. Many volunteers tell us how much they’ve gained from these opportunities, often gaining new insights into community challenges, alternative perspectives on problem-solving, and even inspiration for their own personal or professional journeys. As one volunteer put it yesterday, it’s about planting seeds for new ideas. A heartfelt thank you to all the volunteers who have dedicated their time and skills over the years and to those who joined us yesterday. Your efforts make an incredible difference in helping our charity partners grow stronger and more resilient. Stephanie Maia, Sam Martin, Emily Lewis #SupportingCommunitiesTogether

Over the last few months, we have been working in Wales to bring together sector professionals, #SmallButVital charities and the public sector to open a dialogue about Wales-based commissioning practice. We know charities experience a mixture of commissioning practices, leading to uncertainty, inconsistency, reduced resilience, poorer service delivery, and harm to communities. As the policy landscape moves towards a procurement agenda in which fair work, equity, and well-being impacts are key, the public and third sectors must work together to enact this new framework and ensure that people can access the support they need when needed. The commissioning events with Cwmpas, CVCs and charities in Wales have been rich in dialogue and allowed stakeholders to identify ways to strengthen cross-sector dialogue across Wales. Through these local conversations and subsequent regional conversations, we aim to #FindTheGood in commissioning practice and share that learning over the summer months and beyond. Interested in learning more and getting involved? We are hosting a reflection workshop on Monday, March 17 · 11am - 2pm in Wales and will act as an anchor point for the county-based conversations. Click below to sign up for your free place https://lnkd.in/exk4qem8

2025 is an exciting year for us all at the Foundation! Not only are we celebrating our 40th year, but we are also looking ahead at our new strategy for 2026. With that in mind, we have some opportunities for you to join the ride and play an integral role in supporting #SmallButVital charities across England and Wales. 1️⃣ We have four Trustee positions available, including Deputy Chair 2️⃣ Public Affairs and National Programme Manager  3️⃣ Manager, East of England and London Visit our careers page to find out more and keep in the loop about open positions. https://lnkd.in/eadzP92N

40 years of #SupportingCommunitiesTogether 🙌 And a great big thank you to all the Lloyds Banking Group colleagues who have invested their time, skills and expertise to allow us to support #SmallButVital charities with more than give money through their volunteering and fundraising efforts. Just scroll through the comments and you can see all the fantastic stories of colleagues connecting with the charities through various ways. Keep an eye out on our channels as we celebrate this partnership over the next year! Want to learn more about how we connect #SmallButVital charities and Bank colleagues? Head here to learn more about the support offer https://lnkd.in/ey39cdFs Or read this case study of the difference this made for Mojatu Foundation https://lnkd.in/ezuJ9SPR

40 years ago, we were founded by Lloyds Banking Group and its predecessors to benefit communities. Over our lifetime we’ve invested over £635 million in more than 45,000 community organisations right across England and Wales. In today’s money that is nearly £1 billion. Our investment in grassroots organisations has helped charities transform people’s lives. Some of these charities started with a seed of an idea and have today become household names like ChildLine and Changing Faces, UK.    With support from Lloyds Banking Group colleagues, we have done more than give money. We have invested in the changes charities need to help more people more effectively. Our award winning organisational development support has enabled charities to save money on professional development, built stronger relationships and larger support networks, secure additional income through trading, fundraising and partnerships.  We’ve listened to and learned from those we partner with so that we can truly create a just and compassionate society. These 40 years, we have seen the strength of #SmallButVital charities who have adapted, shown compassion, and built supportive communities. As we look to our next chapter we will build on our history, learn from our peers and continue to push for a better future for everyone. Follow us throughout the year to learn more about our past, how it’s grown into our ways of working today, and what it means for our future. #SupportingCommunitiesTogether https://lnkd.in/eth9ZZU5

🔔 DRUMROLL! 🔔 Funding is now open for local collaborations led by #SmallButVital charities pushing for long-lasting change! Successful applicants will receive a flexible grant of £100,000 over two years, with the opportunity for an extension grant to continue their work. Under this programme, we are focusing on three key themes: 1️⃣ making the social security system work better for those facing the greatest challenges; 2️⃣ making sure people facing complex issues have access to suitable accommodation; 3️⃣ improving support and services for asylum seekers and refugees. Alongside the funding, charities will be able to access a breadth of tailored support for both your influencing work and collaborative working. We have a whole host of ways for you to understand your eligibility. Please check out our website to learn more. Wondering what we mean by collaborations? Learn more here: https://lnkd.in/eX6DYAM8 (Please note that this funding cannot be used to fund direct delivery of services and is exclusively to support partnerships to influence locally and regionally.) The deadline to send in your initial Expression of Interest is 5pm, 30 April 2025 https://bit.ly/4ijwH6X