The fifth Funding Network Event in Leeds on 24th March 2010 raised £25,000 for five amazing projects and brought the total raised to date to just over £135,000. TFN members and supporters have now been able to support 20 locally-based projects and five overseas projects in Thailand, India and Africa. We would particularly like to thank the Yorkshire Bank for hosting the evening, providing a splendid venue and refreshments. Projects presenting on the night included:

· The Anneli Project is co-ordinated by Leeds Women’s Aid and provides a safe haven and refuge for women within the sex industry who have been trafficked either internationally or within the UK. They provide a dedicated safe house which provides a home for up to two women at a time – for some this is short-term respite from abuse, for others it helps them exit the sex industry. Many are likely to have been raped and assaulted violently on a regular basis – sometimes up to 20 times a day and often suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. £5,300

· Teen Challenge Leeds provides a range of services for families trapped in addiction to drugs and alcohol. They have a volunteer base of over 80 people who operate outreach sessions for six nights a week in the Leeds area as well as four part and full-time members of staff. They will use the money for the post of the Family Support Worker who provides practical support and help for families who want to quit their addiction and / or go into rehab. £4,700

· Yorkshire and Humberside Circles of Support and Accountability will set up a “Circle” in Leeds. This innovative project provides help, through a team of trained volunteers, to registered sex offenders to hold them to account and help stop further behaviour linked to offending. The focus is to steer them towards constructive activity. They acknowledge that sex offending causes a great deal of harm to individual survivors and the communities that they live in and we want the harm and fear to stop. £4,900

· United Bank of Carbon is a Yorkshire-based organisation that provides support to organisations in the developing world that are tackling climate change via rainforest protection projects. UBoC acts as a broker to find businesses that want to invest in the rainforest as part of their climate change policy. They will use the grant to develop a special website resource so that schools and community groups can learn more about the issues and take action. £3,900

· Children of the Forest is a non-profit organisation based in Sangkhlaburi close to the Thai/Burmese border. They help abused, neglected, orphaned or otherwise exploited stateless children and mothers with protection from human trafficking or other forms of abuse; and provide access to education, medical care and vocational opportunities via a special centre. Each day they support over 1,000 children and mothers. The grant will be used to improve the kitchen, bathroom and dining facilities. £6,000

For further information about the Funding Network please contact Brian Peace, a TFN member (brpeace@ntlworld.com) or Sally-Anne Greenfield, at the Leeds Community Foundation (0113 242 2426 or sally-anne@leedscommunityfoundation.org.uk).

30th April 2008 Funding Evening

Project Representatives

For more information please contact Brian Peace on 0113 262 4441 or Sally-Anne Greenfield on 0113 242 2426 or sally-anne@leedscommunityfoundation.org.uk

www.thefundingnetwork.org.uk (Charity No 1088315)
www.leedscommunityfoundation.org.uk