Increase in funds for institutions in Berwick

Set up in 2005, the Northern Angel Fund at the Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland makes annual grants to institutions in the area such as the town’s Literary Festival, Youth Project and Community Trust.

As it continues to receive regular support from anonymous local donors, the funding package for 2021 has increased from the more than £15,000 awarded in 2020 – at least £20,000 will be awarded this year.

Groups that receive regular grants from the fund include the Berwick Youth Project, which has been supporting young people in North Northumberland for more than 25 years.

Project manager for Berwick Youth Project, John Bell, said: “We are very pleased to receive a grant of £1,000 this year from the Northern Angel Fund. We are a bespoke service set up to support young people and despite Covid-19, this has been able to continue.

“We have been able to adapt, maybe more easily than bigger organisations, and still been able to provide our valuable service.

“We have been doing lots of ‘walk and talk’ support sessions, outdoor activities, and online work. Although it has been different, the quality of what we’ve been able to deliver has been exceptionally high.”

The Northern Angel Fund has also co-funded a number of initiatives for 2021 with the Community Foundation’s FB & PFB Lough Fund. These include football programmes delivered by Newcastle United Foundation and Rise North East, and the upgrade of a play park in East Ord.

Jon Goodwin, senior philanthropy advisor at the Community Foundation, said: “As well as providing a core group of local organisations with guaranteed, flexible funding, the fund enables us to respond strategically to the town’s needs and to support exciting new initiatives as they develop.”

Email Jon for more information about the Northern Angel Fund for Berwick – [email protected]