Nationwide Building Society supports 1625 Independent People

1625 Independent People (1625ip) is celebrating after making a successful bid for funding from Nationwide Building Society for its work to support housing in the area. The funding is for an innovative partnership project involving United Communities Housing Association, Bristol Student Union, the University of Bristol and 1625ip. 

Nationwide, the UK’s biggest building society, has been looking to support charities dealing with the many issues around housing in the South West area, and made £500,000 available to help make a difference across communities across the region.

Now the names of those charities that have secured the grants they applied for have been announced – and 1625 Independent People has been confirmed as one of those that has been successful.

1625ip has been supporting homeless young people for 34 years, providing safe homes, healthy community-based relationships and the opportunities they need to succeed in life. Our aim is to create mixed communities sustained through self-management and utilising modular housing on surplus land.

Nationwide invited applications for grants of up to £50,000 for housing projects that have the potential to strengthen communities and help make a difference in local areas, ranging from innovative new housing, improving conditions, to supporting the most vulnerable. Applications were accepted from across the South West area.

Dan Still, Nationwide’s Regional Director for the South West, said: “We know that there are many people who have been homeless or have experienced family or close friends without a home of their own, so it’s imperative that we do something about this.

“Helping people into homes of their own is at the heart of what we do as a building society, which is why we’re making funding available for local housing projects. In fact, we’re making £22 million available for the next over five years across the UK to do just this and ensure everyone has a place fit to call home.”

A Community Board of Nationwide members, employees and local housing experts was appointed to have a say on which local community projects were supported.