New £2.5m project by bank will help pupils in Bradford and Leeds

Published 27th Jun 2023, 06:00 BST

The Vanquis Banking Group Foundation will invest in initiatives focused on social mobility and financial inclusion.

The foundation will see Vanquis increase the size of its scheme to support access to affordable school uniforms across the north of England.

The project has already provided £100,000 to support more than 1,000 pupils across Bradford, Liverpool, Manchester, and Blackpool with uniforms alongside longstanding community partners School-Home Support and the Dixons Academies Trust.

Vanquis Banking Group has launched a £2.5m community investment programme to support children and young people in Yorkshire to achieve their full potential. Picture: Ed Tyler

The commitment to funding its school uniform project will rise to £125,000 in 2023/24 with uniforms provided to pupils in Chapeltown, Leeds, London, Croxteth, and Fazakerley and Broadgreen in Liverpool.

Today’s announcement continues Vanquis Banking Group’s work with community partners and schools, including the Bradford District Community Foundation and the London Community Foundation.

The Vanquis Banking Group Foundation will draw together these projects alongside Vanquis’s partnerships with the National Numeracy Trust and Outward Bound Trust, supporting local disadvantaged children and families through access to education programmes.

Malcolm Le May, chief executive officer of Vanquis Banking Group, said: “Making sure children can get to school and have the skills they need to succeed demands a long-term commitment. I’ve seen the difference we can make for individual families with our partners’ help, and I’m determined to do more.

"As families deal with the challenges of rising prices month after month, financial inclusion is more important than ever.”