Award-winning charity bags grand funding boost

An award-winning Oxfordshire charity that encourages people with learning disabilities and autism to live life to the full is the latest recipient of funding.

Yellow Submarine, based in Oxford, Witney and Abingdon, has grown to be a significant provider of services for young people and adults with learning disabilities and autism. It runs weekly evening social clubs where experienced staff and a skilled volunteer support team help develop friendships and social skills.

The charity also delivers supported group residentials and respite holidays, which are often a young persons or adults first sustained time away from home. Kate Sankey, co-director at the charity, said: “First of all we just want to say a huge thank you to Persimmon Homes for their support, it means the world to us. We’re still recovering from the impact of Covid on our fundraising and delivery of our projects, so we’re going to use the donation flexibly towards the area of our work which needs it most.

“We work to promote individuals’ confidence, build life-skills and enable people to work towards living independently. As well as providing activity days and excursions, we also offer sheltered workplace training schemes using our two award-winning social enterprise cafés which encapsulates our mission to promote employment for learning disabled people.”

Each year Yellow Submarine supports nearly 600 individuals, plus giving invaluable help and respite to parents, families and carers.

Kate added: “In order to sustain ourselves we have to fundraise from individuals, charitable trusts and grants but just like many other charities across the country, we’ve really struggled in recent times. Usually our social enterprise cafés earn an income too but this source of funds in particular has been decimated by Covid. I can’t quite put into words how important this £1,000 grant from Persimmon is to the charity.”

Pauline Fletcher, sales director for Wessex, said: “When we received the application from Yellow Submarine it caught my attention straight away. We really liked the fact that the same team of staff assist young people on their journey through childhood and into adulthood, meaning they create a real bond with each individual. Hopefully this £1,000 funding will help Alice and the team pioneer new initiatives and also continue to provide some of their most needed and costly projects.”

To apply for Community Champions funding visit the website.