On an unusually warm and sunny Friday 8 October, EN:Able Communities Head of Operations Simeon Perry took Chair Ken Taylor, trustees and staff from across the organisation on a guided tour of 4 projects the charity has previously funded. The day aimed to give the group a deeper understanding of how Efficiency North supports local communities and the fantastic work of small, focussed projects achieving a real positive impact on people’s lives.
The tour group are pictured at Bright Box Makerspace allotments on Herries Road Sheffield, which received a grant from ENC’s 2019 Social Mobility Fund. This enabled them to provide creative and educational spaces and equipment to give 60 young people the opportunity to gain experience to support job seeking.
The group also visited Edlington Community Organisation based in Doncaster. ECO received grants from EN:Able Communities most recently through the Social Mobility Fund for a project that aimed to provide opportunities for disadvantaged people and previously used grants received from the Community Investment Fund to deliver a range of projects to support employment. ENC also funded ECO’s innovative slipper swap project to assist older residents and tenants by supplying adequate footwear to help prevent falls.
Another stop was at S4All, who were selected as Efficiency North’s chosen charity in 2018 in recognition of their exemplary work providing a community and training hub in Staniforth. Working with EN:Able Communities and with Community Investment Fund grants they've delivered substantial employment and training outcomes. EN:Able Communities also gave £2,000 to support their efforts for people affected by widespread flooding in the area in November 2019.
The group also enjoyed their visit to Sheffield Futures, a local charity that provides mentoring and specialist support to those who need it most to support social mobility. Sheffield Futures currently employs a Kickstart placement through EN:Able Communities DWP Gateway and previously worked with EN:Able Communities to support young people into training and employment.
EN:Able Communities Chair Ken Taylor commented, "All the projects demonstrated that through its grant programme and partnership approach EN:Able Communities provides invaluable support to the areas that most need it. The passion and drive of each group was inspirational as they demonstrated how they made a real difference to the lives of local people of all ages. A brilliant day. "
EN:Able Communities trustee and Efficiency North board director Lee Winterbottom, Managing Director of Construction at Berneslai Homes, said, “Thank you for arranging the visits and the hospitality. It was a good day that really drove home the impact of the involvement and support that EN has given. Powerful stuff!”
Find out more about EN:Able Communities' support for communities here
More about the board of trustees here