Women’s Integration Network

The Women’s Integration Network operates as a supportive network of refugee, migrant and sanctuary seeking women helping and empowering one another.  It is based in Glasgow and holds weekly meetings, plus staff and volunteers are also available to members for assistance where necessary during the week.  Invited speakers visit the meetings giving information on different services, such as representatives from housing providers, the NHS, employment advisors, lawyers, MPs, or from the police for instance.  WIN offers encouragement for the women to participate in further education, and to learn about how the Scottish and UK political systems work, supporting women to speak up about their issues and challenge injustice.

At the Foundation’s June 2025 meeting, a grant of £4,000 was agreed. This funding is a contribution towards the salary of the only staff member – the part-time administrator/project manager.  The overall aim is to empower asylum seeking and refugee women and increase their confidence and abilities to become independent.

www.womensintegrationnetwork.co.uk

 

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Release Mates

This organisation was established to address the lack of immediate post-release support for people leaving prison across the North West of England.  The first day of release in particular can determine which path an ex-offender might go down: with the right support they can go onto to a positive future; without support they can feel let down, and it is all too easy to fall into old habits and go back to a life of crime.  Since it was set up in 2022, Release Mates has been working in various prisons, and with offenders released back to areas across the North West.  Staff and a team of volunteers become the individuals’ first point of contact, working directly with people as they walk through the prison gate, to help them access the services and support they need.  They provide basic necessities, accompany them to various appointments and help get them settled into accommodation, and can work with them for around three months.

At the June 2025 meeting of Trustees, the Foundation agreed a grant of £7,500 that is contributing to the launch and delivery the scheme with female ex-offenders. Release Mates Women will specifically support women ex-offenders resettling in the North West, from prisons including HMP Foston Hall and HMP Eastwood Park.  The scheme will take referrals from probation services, prisons, police and other agencies.  The scheme will provide guidance and one-to-one support through an ongoing mentoring service that will last for between 6 and 12 months, depending on needs and circumstances.  The intention is that the women will be provided with the best possible chance of positive change and be supported to resettle back into the community.

www.releasemates.org

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Brighter Futures Social Investment CIC

Brighter Futures Social Investment CIC (BFSI) provides employability programmes for young people who are NEET (not in education, employment or training) and those coming out of care, helping them to secure long-term employment, and enabling them to lead independent and fulfilled lives.  It operates as a social enterprise, delivering its ‘Creating Life Chances Programme’ to support disadvantaged young people aged 16-25 into employment.  The organisation operates in Kent across the Medway area – towns including Rochester, Chatham, Gillingham, Rainham and Strood.

In June 2025, the Allen Lane Foundation Trustees agreed a grant at their meeting.  This was for £7,000, as a contribution to the running cost of the employability programmes. It is intended that at least ten cohorts of 10-12 young people will benefit over the year.  Intended outcomes are that 50% will secure employment or further training within six months of participating in the programme; and that the young people will gain sector-specific skills and work experience.

https://brighterfutures-si.org.uk/creating-life-chances-1/

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DERIC Youth & Community Project

This charity works from the village of Bearpark, a few miles west of Durham, and provides a range of community services and activities.  It runs an open community drop-in, twice-weekly youth clubs, specific activities for older people, as well as advice and guidance sessions, ad-hoc and celebration events and monthly outings.

At the Foundation’s June 2025 meeting, Trustees agreed a grant of £5,000.  This is a contribution to the costs of activities with older people, including the new Craic, Craft & Cake sessions that will be delivered each week.  The sessions are targeted to older people aged 70+, and will include wellbeing activities and arts and crafting in a fun and informal group.  The intended outcomes are that the participants will benefit from increased social interaction, and improved wellbeing, self-esteem and confidence.

 

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Resolute Women’s Support Service

Resolute Women’s Support Service aims to works to provide emotional and practical support for women experiencing domestic abuse.  It was set up due to lived experience of a survivor of domestic abuse who recognised the gap in the support in her local community and wanted to help other women. It is based close to the centre of Barnsley in South Yorkshire.  Resolute aims to make a lasting difference and works with women one-to-one to provide help and guidance, holistic support and mentoring as well as volunteering opportunities Referrals come from self-referrals, word of mouth, and from a range of other local groups and services. Women who need can walk into the centre and gain support immediately.

In June 2025, the Foundation awarded a grant of £5,000 to Resolute. This is a contribution towards general running costs.  Intended outcomes of the charity’s work are that women affected by domestic abuse and violence will benefit from support in a safe space, and be empowered to regain their confidence and independence.

www.resolutesupport.uk

 

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Shift Together

Shift Together was established to directly address the unmet needs of people in the Rhondda Cynon Taf unitary authority area, just to the north-west of Cardiff.  It operates as a social enterprise, aiming to create a safer, more resilient and connected community.  The organisation primarily operates through weekly mental health support groups, but also offers one-to-one advocacy such as form-filling, advice and guidance, art and craft workshops, and operates as warm hub for beneficiaries.

The Allen Lane Foundation awarded a grant of £6,000 towards Shift Together in June 2025.  The funding is towards the continuation of vital mental health support groups that the organisation runs.  There are seven different weekly groups that take place online, and in accessible community venues across the Rhondda Valleys.  These are in the towns of Porth Groups and Ferndale, and small villages and hamlets Cwm-parc, Pentre, Tyla Garw and Penygraig.  Groups are two-three hours long and are facilitated by trained workers, some of whom have lived experience. Each group offers a safe and confidential space for individuals to share their experiences, connect with others facing similar challenges, and receive peer support. Groups offer a crucial lifeline, and for some people are the primary source of social connection and mental health support.

www.shifttogether.co.uk

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Totnes Rural Area Youth Engagement

This charity, known as TRAYE, was set up ten years ago and currently runs 12 different youth clubs, support groups and services each week.  These take place in nine different towns and villages across rural South Devon – including amongst others Yealhampton, Holbeton, Bridgeton, Buckfastleigh, Totnes and Staverton.  People in these areas can have various issues – such as rural isolation, lack of positive activities and volunteering opportunities locally, hidden poverty, and poor transport links, and young people in these areas can be susceptible to youth violence, drugs, knife crime, and exploitation by county lines gangs.  TRAYE aims to bring isolated and at-risk young people together, to support and safeguard them whilst providing multiple opportunities to develop as individuals, have fun, learn new skills, and create new and safe peer networks.

At the June 2025 meeting of Trustees, the Allen Lane Foundation agreed funding over two years of £8,000 (£4,000 per annum).  The grant is contributing towards the provision of one-to-one support for young people who TRAYE most identifies as at risk, or vulnerable to harm or abuse.  Intended outcomes are that young people will receive increased and tailored interventions and support that will build confidence and self-esteem, and enable them to move forward in their lives towards a more positive and healthy future.

www.tryeproject.org

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The Mindful Foundation

This charity was established to tackle abuse, through trauma-informed education, prevention and support programmes. Its work is built on programmes that had been successfully run in South Africa. The Mindful
Foundation has established the ‘Think Different’ course, which is run in schools and community centres, delivering emotional regulation and healthy relationships education to children aged 8-18, and their
care-givers. The course is being delivered in schools, care homes, and community centres mainly in London and in Liverpool where the charity has developed community and local authority partnerships. Courses have proved very effective, having had a measurable impact on emotional wellbeing and reductions in harmful behaviour.

The application made to the Allen Lane Foundation was for a pilot project leading on from the ‘Think Different’ course for young people. The charity will adapt and trial the course specifically for perpetrators of abuse, particularly within Gypsy and Traveller communities. It is doing this following on from existing partnerships with local authorities, Gypsy and Traveller groups, domestic abuse and honour-based abuse organisations, and women’s organisations.  In general, services for perpetrators of abuse are limited – and particularly within Gypsy and Traveller communities. Programme participants will explore harmful beliefs, gender norms, shame, pathways to change, stress-reducing and recovery techniques, with the intention that they will better understand their triggers, challenge their thinking, and take accountability for their actions. Four programmes will be run in community settings in Liverpool, each cohort engaging around 20 men. The Allen Lane Foundation agreed funding of £3,000 as a contribution towards delivery costs.

www.themindfulfoundation.org

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Darlington Assistance for Refugees

Darlington Assistance for Refugees has been running for over ten years, supporting refugees to settle in the area, as well as people coming to the UK through the asylum system. Trained volunteer mentors help new arrivals to the town to settle in, access services, and engage in therapeutic activities.  English language support is offered for beginners and intermediate, in small conversation groups, and there two weekly drop-ins for guidance and advice.

In June 2025, the Foundation agreed a grant of £5,000.  This is towards the charity’s work with female asylum seekers and refugees.  It will contribute towards the costs of a women’s learning group which will run for two hours each week in term-time.  The aim of the group is to teach English to women, including with singing songs and learning to read simple children’s books as well as interacting with their children as they play.  Expected outcomes of the group are that women will have a measured improvement in English, more confidence to interact with others, reduced isolation through meeting and becoming friends with others in similar situations, and will become ready to study at college when nursery places become available.

www.darlingtonrefugees.org

 

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The Autumn Centre

The Autumn Centre is based in the coastal town of Brightlingsea between Colchester and Clacton-on-Sea. It is run by local volunteers, many of whom have been involved for some years – the charity itself has been established since 1995. Proceeds from its charity shop help to fund two weekly lunch clubs and social interaction for older people in the area.

The Allen Lane Foundation Trustees agreed a grant of £2,000 at their June 2025 meeting. This is to contribute towards running costs of the lunch clubs. The clubs provide a hot two-course meal, and minibuses are used to enable older, more frail people to attend. There are around 100 members, though not all attend every week, a typical attendance would be 35 at the Alresford Club on Tuesdays, and 40 at the Brightlingsea club on Fridays. Overall the clubs help to reduce loneliness and social isolation, and improve the health and wellbeing of older people.

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