Asda Donates Over £1.25m to Transform UK Community Spaces

The Asda Foundation has awarded grants ranging from £10,000 to £20,000 to 79 community projects across the UK, aimed at revitalising local spaces where people connect, access vital services, and build stronger communities.

Image: Asda

From village halls and community centres to youth hubs and churches, each of the 79 grants will support the development, improvement, or repair of community spaces, according to a press release from Asda.

The investment, which ranges from £10,000 to £20,000 per grant, will ensure small, grassroot groups can continue to bring communities together, and operate from spaces that are safe, inclusive, and fit for purpose.

The Foundation is Supporting Access to Safe Spaces

According to Asda’s latest Community Insight Tracker, 42 per cent of community groups believe that access to safe and inclusive spaces is one of the most important issues the Foundation should support. 

Mental health and crime prevention also ranked highly, highlighting the need for welcoming places where communities can come together.

On the funding announcement, Karl Doyle, Asda Foundation Chair, commented: “Safe and welcoming community spaces play a crucial role in bringing people together and supporting essential local services.

“Through the Local Community Spaces Fund, the Asda Foundation is proud to invest in these vital hubs at a time when many groups are facing growing challenges to sustain and improve them. Our aim is to strengthen community ties and help tackle loneliness by enhancing the places where people come together.

“Congratulations to the 79 successful groups receiving funding – we’re excited to see the meaningful impact these grants will have in communities across the UK.”

Image: Asda

Among the 79 projects to receive funding, Autism Rocks (Fife) has been awarded £17,640. The group has been providing crucial support to autistic individuals and their families for over a decade. 

The funding will be used to over upgrades to the charity’s recently extended site, transforming an adjacent, empty church building into a calming, sensory-friendly environment for their service users. 

The grant will also fund the installation of essential safety fencing around the centres outside area, making sure it is a secure place for children to play.

On receiving the funding, Liza Quin, Founder of Autism Rocks (Fife) said she was lost for words. “It came as a massive surprise for us, and it’s one we’re hugely grateful to the Asda Foundation for.”

The full list of all funded groups can be found on the Asda Foundation website here.