Law firm Ward Hadaway gives support to Leeds Community Foundation to help tackle social issues

Emma Digby, Leeds executive partner at Ward Hadaway said: “Like many firms with a presence in Leeds, we are committed to giving back through staff fundraising or other related activity. But we wanted to do even more and to understand how as an organisation we could make a real, tangible difference, enabling communities to thrive in Leeds and be given every opportunity to do so.”

Leeds Community Foundation was founded in 2005 with the intention of becoming a philanthropic vehicle for businesses and individuals to give money to community projects and charities, aimed specifically at helping the local area.

The organisation helps businesses and individuals who want to give money to charity to distribute their funds into a desired area.

The foundation works closely with small community groups, and aims to develop a relationship with the groups to be able to offer advice, as well as distributing funds.

When deciding which community groups to support, the foundation holds panel discussions to make decisions on a case by case basis. Each panel will have a person present who has lived experience of the problems the community groups are attempting to aid.

The Leeds Fund specifically aims to provide grants to support the long-term sustainability and survival of community organisations so they can be in the “best shape possible”.

Kirsty McKinnon, head of relationships at Leeds Community Foundation said: “A huge thank you to the team at Ward Hadaway, who understand the vital role of The Leeds Fund in ensuring local people continue to be supported in the long term.

“Investing in The Leeds Fund is a direct, well-established, and compelling way to improve the lives of thousands of people. Every donation helps to shape a brighter future and provide a platform for communities to thrive.

"We need more support from businesses like Ward Hadaway, who want to make a real difference and invest back into the community.”

In December of last year, Leeds Community Foundation announced that it had seen demand double for some of its programmes over the previous nine months, as community groups and individuals struggled with the repercussions of the pandemic as well as the cost-of-living crisis.

Christina Kettlewell, a director at Ward Hadaway said: “As Members of Leeds Community Foundation, we wanted to understand what more we could do as an organisation to play our part.

“We were inspired by the work of the Foundation and the role of The Leeds Fund, particularly, after hearing firsthand from those individuals that had been directly supported about what it means to them and the enormous impact it has on their lives.

"The Leeds Fund allows us to invest through its immediate impact pot, and into the future via endowment.”