18th April 2024
esbs, or Earl Shilton Building Society, has announced the results of its online In the Community scheme for the first quarter of 2024. Through voting on the esbs website, two local charities receive a share of £500 each quarter.
AH – 20.12.2023-023 – ESBS Business Development Manager Richard Carson with Eilidh Stringer of Action Homeless and Ian Birnie of BloodBikes
Action Homeless and Leicestershire Blood Bikes are the latest charities to benefit from the scheme, receiving £231.05 and £268.95 respectively.
The next charities selected are Steps and Alice Hawkins Community Projects.
Steps provides specialist nursery services and support to children with motor disorders and their families, enabling them to lead fuller, more active lives. They follow the principles of Conductive Education to cater to young children with Cerebral Palsy, chromosome disorders including Down Syndrome, or other conditions which affect the acquisition of motor skills. The Steps team offers vital support to hundreds of families, working to develop skills the children need to progress and maximise their potential while providing parents with knowledge and confidence to enhance the development of their child. It costs Steps £220,000 a year to operate and they rely solely on fundraising and grants to generate this income.
Born out of necessity to help people during the Covid lockdowns, Alice Hawkins Community Projects is a joint venture of local residents, named after suffragette Alice Hawkins who lived opposite the Fosse Neighbourhood Centre where the group is now based. What started as a small foodbank to support a handful of families in the Woodgate area has expanded to provide for around 120 households thanks to a large group of volunteers who help with everything from deliveries, admin work, and stock management. They are now embarking on a number of new initiatives, including the Fosse Neighbourhood Community Garden which started in 2023 to grow fruit, vegetables and herbs to support the foodbank.
Paul Tilley, Chief Executive of esbs, said, “Our aim is to make a real impact and create positive change where it matters most by donating to local charities. We extend our heartfelt thanks to our members for their unwavering support in esbs’ commitment to giving back. We eagerly anticipate continuing to make a difference in the lives of those who need it most.”
Voting for quarter two of In the Community ends on 30th June 2024. Place your vote at https://www.esbs.co.uk/charity-token-collector/.