Levenshulme Old Library

Levenshulme Old Library was established around ten years ago by local residents after the closure of the area’s local library. The building has been developed into a centre for arts, heritage and wellbeing. Various local community groups and projects operate from the building which is the Levenshulme area of South Manchester.

At the October 2025 meeting, Trustees agreed a grant of £2,500 towards the charity’s work with the local Roma community. This includes creative workshops, advocacy and advice sessions, and community events. Overall aims of the project are to increase engagement, trust and visibility for Roma communities.

www.levenshulmeoldlibrary.og.uk

 

 

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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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The Showmen’s Mental Health Awareness Charity

This charity works nationally, and is run by, and for, people from the Showmen and fairground community.  It aims specifically to support people within the community who are struggling with poor mental health, and break the stigma associated with it. The work is does aims to help people across three main operation areas: mental health services; education; and awareness.

In February 2025, the Allen Lane Foundation agreed a grant of £5,000.  The funding is to contribute towards general running costs of the charity.  Overall outcomes of the work are that it helps to improve the mental health and wellbeing of Showmen; increases the educational outcomes for children and young people from Showmen families; and it enables Showmen to increase their skills and employability.

www.showmensmentalhealth.com

 

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Oblique Arts

Oblique Arts works across Cambridgeshire from its base in Cambridge.  It began as a small artist led charity, and now runs a variety of weekly group sessions, peer support groups, monthly events, art exhibitions and takes part in other events and festivals.  It works with over 1,500 people a year overall.  Part of Oblique Arts’ work is directly with the Gypsy, Roma and Travelling (GRT) community across the county – and this is the focus for the funding.

At the October 2024 meeting of Trustees, the Allen Lane Foundation agreed a grant totalling £10,000 split over a two-year period.  The grant is towards work with the GRT community, and specifically towards the provision of advocacy and support services that the charity has been delivering over recent years.  This includes running a phone line support service and follow-up casework. The service takes referrals from other GRT organisations as well as statutory services and self-referrals from within the GRT community.  The advocacy project runs one day each week and benefits around 650 individuals a year. Outcomes from the work include improved wellbeing and better access to healthcare. There are improved home situations with support around housing, evictions, and access to food banks; plus support for children to stay in schools or education and help with reduction of bullying and discrimination.

www.oblique-arts.com

 

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People for People

People for People is a migrant-led organisation that aims to improve the wellbeing and lives of community members. It organises specific activities including housing advice, digital skills, employability skills, counselling, and social events and activities such as community volleyball.  Most clients are Central and Eastern European migrants, with around 200 people a year being supported.  People for People works in the Handsworth and Erdington area of North Birmingham.

In June 2024, the organisation received funding from the Allen Lane Foundation of £3,520. This is towards a specific project developing work with the Roma community. Fortnightly sessions will be established for Roma women, to encourage and facilitate opportunities for engagement. The aim is to help address issues around healthcare, education etc, and become a platform for further integration, and that around 60-70 women will become involved.  Intended outcomes are that overall the Roma community will be less isolated in the area; the women will have improved English speaking and feel more empowered; and that they will have improved engagement and interactions generally within the local community.

www.peopleforpeoplecic.org

 

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York Travellers Trust

York Travellers Trust was established 25 years ago and exists to provide support to the Gypsy and Traveller community in York and across a wider local area.  It aims overall to ‘enhance the vibrant and resourceful Gypsy and Traveller communities, build bridges between the communities and others to promote community cohesion, and increase opportunities and life chances for all’. A wide range of services and sessions are run, including a wellbeing project, drop-ins, education provision, and advice and advocacy services.

In February 2024, the Allen Lane Foundation has offered a grant of £7,500 to York Travellers Trust. This is to contribute towards salary costs of a worker whose role is to reach out to and engage with the Gypsy and Traveller communities, encouraging individuals to access help they need from the Trust, as well as from other services.  The aim is to reduce isolation, improve mental health, and address immediate needs, as well as working with individuals to look at their long-term goals and interests, such as accessing educational courses or employment for example.

www.ytt.org.uk

 

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Bugle Library of Things

Bugle Library of Things is a community interest company that was set up to provide a local community resource.  Bugle is a small village in mid-Cornwall, just north of St Austell.  The organisation runs a community share shop which has food, clothing, toys, books and household goods etc free for people who need them. It operates hub sessions where people can come for refreshments, activities and signposting services.

The organisation applied to Allen Lane for funding to further engage with the local population of people living on Minorca Lane – an area just outside the village that includes numbers of Irish Travellers, Gypsies, people who have migrated to the UK including Roma communities, and Cornish people who have been housed there.  At the June 2023 meeting, trustees agreed funding of £xx that will go towards the ‘Community Inclusion Project’.  A mobile hub travels weekly onto the Lane where people can access support and information as well as accessing other services etc.  The project also works to actively bring people from the Lane and the village together and reduce isolation and increase community cohesion.

www.facebook.com/BugleLibraryofThings

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Lincolnshire Traveller Initiative

This charity states it is committed to creating opportunities, community cohesion and positive futures for Lincolnshire’s Traveller communities.  It aims to empower families and provide tailored services to meet their needs.  It supports the Traveller community across the county of Lincolnshire, running various projects and schemes. The work is split into four main areas – these are an advocacy project assisting people with other services and offering support at meetings etc; an education project via a mobile classroom that regularly visits sites across the area; an employability scheme offering support with training and developing skills; and a health initiative that aims to improve health and wellbeing.

At the February 2023 meeting, the Allen Lane Foundation has offered a £10,000 single grant for the employability programme.  The charity aims to work with at least 25 individuals on a fairly in-depth level over the year, helping each person to identify their strengths and create individual personalised career plans.  This will involve specific training and support aimed at raising their employment prospects, and support with writing CVs, help looking for jobs and making job applications.  Intended outcomes from the programme are that all participants will feel more confident about gaining employment; they will have increased skills and qualifications; and at least 30% will be support into employment within the period.

www.lincsti.co.uk

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Development Education in Dorset (DEED) 

DEED is a charitable company that works to tackle poverty, injustice and inequality and works with marginalised groups and local communities in Dorset. It runs training and educational workshops, and also specific project based around particular issues, such as around faith and ethnicity.

At the June 2020 meeting, Allen Lane offered funding of £6,000 that will contribute towards a project working with Gypsy Roma and Traveller (GRT) communities.  This will be run as a partnership project with two GRT organisations Kushi Bok and Life Changing Choices, as well as Dorset Race Equality Council. The project aims to increase understanding and cohesion between GRT and non-GRT communities through a series of activities, training, skills development and events.  Outcomes from the project include improved relations within communities; improved confidence and skills for GRT communities; and reduced isolation of, and discrimination against, GRT people locally.

www.deed.org.uk

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Newton Heath Youth Project CIC

Newton Heath Youth Project is a community organisation working in the Newton Heath area of Manchester.  Initially set up to work with disadvantaged children and young people, it has expanded to offer various community projects, activities and events to benefit adults, families and older people.

The Foundation has offered a grant of £8,000 towards a specific project working with women from the local Traveller community.  This project began in 2018 with a weekly drop-in and safe place to meet – it was requested by the women themselves as there were no specific services or groups in the area that catered for them.  The group has grown quickly and there are now 20-25 women attending each week.  Activities range from educational art, crafts, cooking and visits to places of interest, many of the women use the time to seek advice and guidance on everyday issues, some unique to the Traveller community.  Support is provided including advocacy and advice around help in dealing with problems at school for the women’s children; or help developing CVs, applying for jobs or accommodation for example.  Overall this work’s outcomes include the women having improved confidence and self-esteem; improved knowledge of, and access to, local services; and better community cohesion in the local area.

 

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