Gleeds Foundation
At Gleeds we believe in making a difference. It’s what we’ve been doing for over a century. It’s our heritage, our commitment and our responsibility.
We’re proud of the positive change we’ve already made to the communities we work in, but we wanted to reinforce that commitment, focus our charitable giving under one purpose and make a tangible impact.
Welcome to the Gleeds Foundation.
The purpose of the Gleeds Foundation is to support young people in making positive changes to their lives.
It’s a separate entity to the Gleeds business; it’s been structured to be independent, flexible and ready to give back.
Collaboration is key to so much of what we do, and the Gleeds Foundation is no exception. We have committed £100,000 annually to charities and good causes.
We believe every young person deserves to succeed in life. So, together with our charity partners, the Foundation creates opportunities for young people aged 12-25 to successfully shape their future, building their skills, confidence and resilience.
With a staggering number of young people now unemployed, experiencing mental health conditions or fighting the impact of deprivation, there’s plenty of work to be done. There are so many charities out there providing specialist support, and the Gleeds Foundation wants to be part of the solution.
From providing counselling sessions and career mentoring, to tackling youth homelessness and violence via youth clubs and grassroots sports, the Foundation awards two £37,500 grants a year to UK registered charities that help young people make positive changes in their lives.
We want to empower our people to drive change, so the chosen charities are nominated by Gleeds employees. Eligible charities are asked to complete a grant application form, and are then assessed and chosen by our Steering Group made up of seven employees from across the Gleeds business.
The Gleeds Foundation has an allocated budget for Gleeds employees in the UK to apply for match funding, which encourages local community fundraising beyond our nominated charity partnerships.
We also operate a dedicated international relief fund, which enables us to respond quickly to international disasters, wherever the need is greatest.
The Steering Group members play an invaluable role. As ambassadors of the Foundation, they are responsible for reviewing and shortlisting applications, and recommending charities to receive funding, while ensuring the process and management is robust and fair.
Together, we’re excited to see the positive changes we can make to young people’s lives.
At Gleeds, we believe every young person deserves to succeed. Together with our charity partners, the Gleeds Foundation seeks to create opportunities for them to build their skills, confidence and resilience as they work towards a brighter future.
Resurgo
Resurgo realises the potential in young people, no matter what barriers to employment they face, by coaching them with the mindset and skills they need to both get into work and thrive there.
Founded in 2004 by Tom Jackson MBE, Resurgo addresses youth unemployment, which is one of the most significant challenges of our society. The year-long Spear Programme equips and supports 16 to 24-year-olds facing serious barriers to employment to find long-term employment or enter education and thrive once they get there.
Over 8,500 young people have enrolled in the Spear Programme, 58% of whom face at least three barriers to employment. 79% of young people who complete the programme are still in work or education one year later.
The Gleeds Foundation has funded an entire cohort of 15 young people on the Spear Programme, including the initial six-week intensive course (Spear Foundation) and a year of follow on support (Spear Career).
The programme includes confidence building exercises, interview training, goal-setting, CV writing skills, and learning to communicate in a professional setting.
The Wilderness Foundation
The Wilderness Foundation harnesses the power of the wilderness and nature to transform vulnerable lives and empowers people, in return, to conserve nature.
Each year it works with over 8,000 people, including some of the hardest-to-reach and most disadvantaged young people in society.
Funding from the Gleeds Foundation contributes towards the cost of the Wilderness Foundation’s TurnAround programme, for young people with complex needs aged 15-21. TurnAround uses wilderness therapy, challenging outdoor experiences, one-to-one mentoring, and educational activities to enable vulnerable young people to overcome their challenges and take control of their lives.
Achievements so far
k
Pledged each year
Raised by Gleeds employees for our two charity partners, between June to December 2023
Match-fund donations awarded across 26 charities in 2023
Related Documents
Contact us
Michelle Regent
London, United Kingdom
Jess Adams
London, United Kingdom
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