Charity marks 40 years of funding 'hidden heroes'

A charity which provides grants to voluntary and community groups across South Yorkshire is celebrating its 40th anniversary.

South Yorkshire's Community Foundation (SYCF) has invested more than £40m since 1986 in local initiatives by connecting a network of donors and recipients.

An awards ceremony will be held by the charity to recognise "exceptional community impact" among the groups that have received funding over the years.

Chief executive Martin Singer said: "Many of our local organisations are hidden heroes, and many of the outcomes we see in our communities are often the result of hardworking groups."

The Community Celebration Awards will be held in May, when a group from each area in the region - Sheffield, Rotherham, Doncaster and Barnsley - will be recognised for making a "meaningful difference".

"These groups work tirelessly to serve our region and we want to spotlight that," said Singer.

"They do vital work, respond to local need and create positive change."

One recipient of funding is Active Fusion, a charity based in Doncaster that supports children and young people through physical activity, particularly those from disadvantaged backgrounds and communities.

Founder and director Lindsy James said: "SYCF have been a lifeline to our charity, it's so good to have a local grant-giving organisation that understand the families we serve - they have a real, deep understanding of the lived poverty across the region.

"They're well placed and understand the vast range of inequalities that children and young people face, and they've funded us for numerous years."

Another recipient is Affinity 2020, a community interest company based in Rotherham which supports young people who are in, or have recently left, the care system.

It received a grant of £15,000 from SYCF for the pilot of its Care Leaver Project, a programme aiming to provide people with skills and qualifications to achieve better life outcomes.

Founder and CEO Charlotte Elliott said the funding had been "massively important" and that all of the 15 young people who were part of the pilot were now either in full-time education or employment.

SYCF has since also secured a further three years of funding for the programme.

Elliott said: "We're absolutely elated about it, you need a legacy of funding to run over consistent years to continue and embed that work - that's what they've enabled us to do."

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