How Transforming Lives for Good is making children more confident and hopeful

For the region’s most at-risk children, every day can be tough – especially during the pandemic.

But children’s charity Transforming Lives for Good (TLG) is doing something to help. With a network of churches and community groups across the region, the charity is making children more confident and hopeful about the future through lunch programmes, education centres and care packages for those who need them.

The charity has delivered nearly half a million emergency meals to desperate families, thanks in part to funding from the Barclays Community Fund to support struggling children in communities across the UK.

The £100,000 funding from Barclays will help TLG to reach more children and families who have been impacted by the current global pandemic.

This includes offering emotional wellbeing support to children and families who have been experiencing emotional distress; as well as emergency food and welfare parcels to families facing food insecurity.

TLG’s Box of Hope programme is the charity’s national emergency response set up during the Covid-19 crisis, providing food and welfare parcels that also include fun resources for the children.

Since the beginning of the pandemic, the equivalent of more than 437,000 meals have been distributed by nearly 200 Box of Hope partners.

The funding will also allow TLG to train their community partners on how to recognise signs of emotional distress and walk alongside families whose wellbeing has been affected by the pandemic.

TLG works to support struggling children across the UK, providing practical and emotional support in and out of school and connecting with home to bring hope and a future. As well as providing support through the TLG Box of Hope and TLG Make Lunch programmes, the charity also offers volunteer coaching to children through TLG Early Intervention and intensive support for those that have been excluded from school through TLG Education Centres.

Over the next year TLG will work with up to 10,000 children and young people through its holiday hunger provision, mentoring and education programmes.

Steph Walker, TLG relationship manager, said: “We are so thankful to Barclays Community Fund. Both Barclays and TLG have a heart to make a difference to those most in need across the nation at this time of crisis.

“With Barclays’ support, TLG is enabling hundreds of local community partners to respond to the children and families most affected. We want to see full tummies and smiles returning during these difficult times.”

Back in April, Barclays announced a £100m Community Aid Package to support charities that are helping people and communities most impacted by COVID-19.

A total of £10m of this funding has been donated through its 100x100 UK Covid-19 Community Relief Programme, with Transforming Lives for Good being one of 100 UK charities each receiving a donation of £100,000, allowing their important work to continue.

Daniel Styler, Barclays area business manager in West Yorkshire, said: “This crisis has had an unprecedented impact across the UK and we know this is an incredibly challenging time for many across West Yorkshire.

“By reaching those most in need of support, local charities, such as Transforming Lives for Good have played a vital role in this crisis to date, and no doubt they will do going forward.

“As a proud member of our community, we are doing everything we can for our customers, clients and colleagues, and we hope that our partnership with the Transforming Lives for Good will allow many others to access the help they need as this crisis develops.”