[K]endal’s Manna House has received a welcome cash boost of £75,000 from Lloyds Bank Foundation to help support homeless and vulnerably housed people in the South Lakeland area.
The grant will help secure the future of their Kendal service which provides drop-in sessions for those in need offering food, clothing and shower facilities and a night shelter providing accommodation during the colder months. As well as supporting basic needs the charity also helps those struggling to address the issues that have caused them to become homeless such as mental health problems and drug or alcohol addiction, giving them the support they need to turn their lives around.
With homelessness increasing in the South Lakeland area many people with housing difficulty struggle to gain access to services due to their rural location. Manna House offers a life-line for those struggling for accommodation in Kendal providing advice, advocacy and support in a friendly and welcoming environment.
The funding represents continued support for Manna from the Foundation who previously awarded the charity £52,029 in 2014 to fund the salary of an Outreach and Development Worker over two years to help find safe and secure housing for their homeless visitors.
Andrea Aldridge, Chief Officer, Manna House said: “We aim to connect homeless and vulnerably housed people to the mainstream services of the wider community This grant from Lloyd’s will help to overcome the trauma and isolation they feel and support them to reach out and build long-term relationships and make lasting change in their lives. As we provide people with advice and advocacy to find and maintain secure accommodation, they can achieve greater stability. It is always a challenge to fund a charity such as Manna House whose client group is considered unpopular, but the Foundation have been a tremendous support to us as we work to increase skills and self-confidence.
Paul Streets OBE, Chief Executive, Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales said: “With poverty and disadvantage high and rising, local charities Manna House are on the front line in their communities offering help to people who need it most. We are proud to be able to fund Manna House, whose work with homeless people is life-changing. We look forward to supporting them as they continue to make a lasting impact in 2018 and beyond.”
Manna House is one of seven charities in the North East and Cumbria supported in Lloyds Bank Foundation’s latest funding round, which awarded £286,966 across the region, tackling issues such as unemployment, domestic violence and addiction.
Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales is one of the UK’s leading community grant-makers, committed to tackling disadvantage through small and local charities. The Foundation is an independent registered charity funded by the profits of Lloyds Banking Group as part of the Group’s commitment to Helping Britain Prosper.
