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  • Over 60 local projects have been awarded ‘Spaces and Places’ grants between £5k and £25k to bring communities together and help tackle isolation
  • Investment comes after research shows cost of living crisis impacting on time spent together in communities. 
  • Research shows families struggling with rising costs are scaling back plans and spending less time within their communities. 

Asda’s charity, Asda Foundation, is today announcing £750k of investment in 60 local community groups and charities across the UK, with the aim of transforming community spaces and places after customers said the cost-of-living crisis has impacted their social and community interaction.

Over 60 ‘Spaces and Places’ grants ranging from £5,000 to £25,000, have been awarded by the Asda Foundation to help bring communities together and combat isolation.

One group to benefit from investment is Headspace Bolton CIC, pictured above, who offer a safe space and creative outlet for people with experience of mental illness to come together. The centre offers a wide range of creative activities and workshops, including stand-up comedy, photography and film making.

They have been awarded £23,200 from Asda Foundation to carry out work on their building which will include new access ramps, upgraded bathroom and kitchen facilities, new staging, lighting, flooring and ceilings, and increased security and shutters.

Ginny Allende, Co-founder of Headspace Bolton CIC, said: “Wow, we’re so happy and grateful to receive a grant from the Asda Foundation, we can’t quite believe it! This grant will enable us to renovate and transform our space to create a warmer, safer environment and gives us the opportunity to make it our ‘home’.”  

Research by the University of Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership is informing Asda’s Spaces & Places programme. The retailer made a philanthropic donation to fund a Prince of Wales Global Sustainability Fellowship looking at the way that supermarkets’ community programmes address challenges faced by communities. Early insights derived from interviews with community groups indicates meeting space affordability can be a significant barrier to bringing people together, and that the existence of a ‘trusted, neutral and accessible’ space for local groups to meet and interact is likely to be an important resource for community wellbeing.

Further research from Asda shows that 1 in 4 people feel that the cost of living has impacted connections to their local community and is already limiting social their social and leisure activities. The research shows that families are scaling back their plans to reduce costs and are, spending more time at home with families and spending less time within their communities. The research also shows that access to mental health support in communities is vital in order to ease loneliness and isolation

Alexandra Preston, Senior Manager Asda Foundation, says: “We know our communities are having a tough time right now with the rising cost of living, which is further increasing inequalities and the isolation experienced during the pandemic. Small grass roots organisations play a vital role in making positive change and improving people’s lives every day. They understand the needs in their community and are constantly adapting to meet those needs. 

“Community groups and our wider research is clearly telling us telling us that having safe, inclusive spaces to meet, learn, celebrate and come together builds connection and resilience in their community. The challenge for many of these groups is having the affordable space to bring people together to deliver this fantastic work – that’s why we’re investing £750k in breathing new life into community spaces across the UK”

Asda has also installed community rooms in eight stores around the UK and plan to create three more by the end of the year, using excess store space. The community rooms are made available to local charities and community groups that need a reliable space to host talks, meetings and other kinds of activities.

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