A Boston charity supporting homeless and vulnerable people, Centrepoint Outreach has received £20,000 from the Asda Foundation’s Local Community Spaces Fund to enhance its facilities and support local people.
The Asda Foundation has announced £1,119,874 of funding for 73 community projects across the UK through its Local Community Spaces Fund, with Centrepoint Outreach in Boston’s Red Lion Street among the successful organisations receiving support.
The group has been awarded £20,000 to support improvements to the charity’s building entrance and exterior, including widening the main doorway, installing a new access ramp, improving accessibility systems, upgrading the secondary entrance and enhancing the external environment for service users.
The funding forms part of the Asda Foundation’s investment through its five-year commitment to improving community spaces across the UK. Since 2022, the Foundation has invested more than £5 million in projects that help local organisations create, improve and maintain vital community facilities.
Centrepoint Outreach is a local charity supporting homeless and vulnerable adults in Boston. The organisation provides daily practical support, including food, clothing and hygiene essentials, alongside one-to-one casework, wellbeing activities and long-term support designed to help people move away from homelessness and improve their quality of life. Working six days a week, the charity supports people experiencing rough sleeping, insecure housing, poor mental health and complex personal challenges. In the last year alone, the organisation supported 387 individuals, including 268 people experiencing homelessness, making it a vital source of support within the local community.
Community spaces continue to play a vital role in bringing people together. Research from the Asda Foundation’s Community Insight Tracker found that 79% of funded groups believe community spaces help reduce isolation, while 77% said they help build social connections and 76% said they provide safe spaces for people of all ages.
The funding was awarded following a competitive application process, with 73 projects selected from 749 applications submitted by organisations across the UK.
Karl Doyle, Chair of the Asda Foundation, said: “Strong communities need safe and strong spaces. Whether it’s somewhere people can access advice, take part in activities, develop new skills or simply spend time with others, community venues play a vital role in everyday life.
“We’re delighted to support 73 organisations this year through the Local Community Spaces Fund. These projects will help improve accessibility, protect important local facilities and create welcoming environments where people can come together, feel connected and access the support they need.”
Liz Hopkins, CEO at Centrepoint Outreach, said: “We are absolutely delighted to receive this funding from the Asda Foundation. The grant will enable us to make our building more accessible and welcoming. This investment will make a real difference to homeless and vulnerable people using our services and help us continue supporting our local community for years to come.”
Stephen Bromby, Community Champion at Boston’s Asda supermarket, said: “We’re incredibly proud to see Centrepoint Outreach receive this funding through the Asda Foundation’s Local Community Spaces Fund. The organisation does fantastic work in our community, and this investment will help ensure even more local people can benefit from their services and facilities. The improvements will make the building more accessible, welcoming and easier to navigate for people with mobility needs, including wheelchair users and those accessing support during difficult circumstances.
”A more inclusive and accessible entrance will help ensure vulnerable residents can access services safely and confidently while supporting staff and volunteers to focus on delivering meaningful support that helps people move away from homelessness and crisis.”
In addition to the amazing announcement from the Asda Foundation’s fund for repairs, renovations, and accessibility improvements, the Lister Way supermarket has also revealed the recipients of its Better Together Fund which had the aim of reducing loneliness and isolation, particularly for older people, and vulnerable and low-income households.
Centrepoint Outreach will receive a further £500 to go towards purchasing daily essentials, such as food, clothing, household essentials and toiletries for the vulnerable people using their services.
Inspire Lincs, which is an Old Leake based innovative and engaging day provision offering lifelong learning for adults with learning disabilities has been awarded £500 to support a Christmas luncheon for the residents of Old Leake and surrounding areas to get together for a time of festive fun.
Meanwhile Fishtoft 400, a friendship group for the people of Fishtoft that meets every Tuesday morning, has also secured a £500 grant to purchase a set of indoor curling stones, which are specially designed, lightweight alternatives to traditional ice-curling granite rocks that allow the game to be played on any smooth, flat indoor surface
