We’re delighted to share some uplifting news—The Elm Foundation has been awarded a £2,500 grant from the Yorkshire Building Society (YBS) Charitable Foundation to support adults living in our refuge accommodation. This generous donation, made possible by the kind contributions of YBS customers, will go directly toward helping those who arrive at our refuges, often with very little.
We want to say a heartfelt thank you to the YBS Foundation for this award. We’re incredibly grateful for your support, and we’d especially like to thank Kateryna for recognising the importance of our work and nominating us to apply for this funding.
At a time when our organisation is navigating the triple challenge of short-term funding, increasing demand, and more complex needs per person—not to mention the ongoing cost-of-living crisis—this grant couldn’t have come at a better time. Every pound will help us provide emergency essentials for those entering or leaving refuge. That might be a SIM card to stay connected, a food voucher to get through the week, or a small but vital item that helps someone cope after escaping abuse.
But the support from YBS doesn’t stop there.
Yorkshire Building Society offer specialised support through their Money Minds programme, which delivers practical, empowering financial education to specialist staff and clients. These workshops cover a range of essential topics:
- Fraud & Scams – Offering advice on how to spot and avoid common scams, with clear signposting to further support.
- Financial Wellbeing – Exploring what financial wellbeing really means and how to build healthier money habits.
- Cost of Living – Helping people understand the impact of the crisis and how to manage their finances through it.
- Making Your Budget Work for You – Teaching the basics of budgeting, identifying spending patterns, and starting a savings habit.
These sessions rebuild financial independence and confidence, which is a crucial step on the journey to recovery and long-term stability.
Once again, thank you to Yorkshire Building Society Charitable Foundation and everyone who made this possible. Your support is helping people at their most vulnerable time, assisting them to move toward a safer, stronger future.
