[A]ge UK South Lakeland has a won a share of NatWest’s £2million Skills and Opportunities Fund.
Following a public vote, they will pick up £34901 from the fund which supports organisations which have created programmes to enhance financial capability and enterprise in their communities.
A total of eight organisations across the North of England have received a share from the latest funding pot. The NatWest Skills & Opportunities Fund is giving away £1 million in this round of the fund, with a further round to open later in the year.
The funding will support Age UK South Lakeland’s Financially Fit for Later Life programme will provide 1-2-1 support to improve financial skills for 350 older people in rural areas, living in poverty, with poor financial literacy and digitally excluded. Staff and volunteers will build people’s capability to budget effectively, cut costs and claim benefit entitlements. The programme will run finance road-shows to reach more people.
Richard Topliss, Chairman of NatWest’s North Regional Board, said: “It was a challenging decision because of the standard of entries we received. But the panel felt that all of the organisations would make a massive impact in their local communities.
“Our congratulations and best wishes go to Age UK South Lakeland, and I’d encourage anyone who wasn’t successful this time to try again when applications open in August for the next round.”
Since its launch in 2015, the NatWest Skills and Opportunities Fund has granted more than £900,000 to 44 projects across the North region.