L&Q pledge £600,000 to tackle gangs

The L&Q Foundation has joined the fight against gang crime with a £600,000 donation to the Evening Standard’s Save London Lives fund.

The contribution, which makes the Foundation the largest single donor to the £1.6 million fund, will be used to support local organisations dedicated to tackling the causes of gun and knife crime.

Natalie Playfair, Project Manager of the L&Q Foundation’s Successful Places, set up the new partnership with the London Community Fund, the charity that manages Save London Lives and the Dispossessed Fund.

She said: “As a housing association, it is our purpose to do more than just put a roof over people’s heads. We want to build safe, supportive communities where parents do not have to live in fear of their children being affected by violence.

“By working in partnership with the Evening Standard and the London Community Fund, and by uniting other organisations, communities and people, we have the best chance of reaching those who need us and helping to reduce the scourge of gang violence.”

Waqar Ahmed, L&Q’s Group Director of Finance, added: “London’s gang violence epidemic is a tragedy that affects entire communities. There is no easy solution but we believe that empowering grassroots organisations is key.

“By giving these organisations the resources to get on with their work and share expertise with one another, we aim to help them reach people who may feel society has given up on them. That is why we are proud to support the Evening Standard in backing these projects.”

The donation comes as knife and gun killings in the capital have reached a ten-year high, with 29 fatalities so far this year.

Local groups with experience in tackling youth violence will be given grants of up to £30,000 over three years to cover their running costs and allow them to focus on interventions rather than fundraising. Just over 40 charities have already been supported during the first two rounds of grant giving.

A third round of grants, which will start in the summer, has now been made possible thanks to the L&Q Foundation.

Kelly Rust, director of grants and impact for LCF, said: “Our aim in launching this programme was to help build a resilient grassroots response to youth violence. That’s why we are focused on providing core funding and building the capacity of small charities to tackle this complex issue.”

Organisations with income of less than £500,000 may be prioritised for the grants, as will groups operating in boroughs that received less support in rounds one and two, namely: Bexley, Brent, Camden, Enfield, Greenwich, Kensington and Chelsea, Lewisham, Newham and Waltham Forest.

You can apply online at londoncf.org.uk