OUR GRANTS
Belfast Charitable Society has been addressing disadvantage for over 270 years, supporting people and communities in need. Below outlines the projects or organisations we support under our current themes.
SUPPORTING EDUCATION
ANAKA Women’s Collective
ANAKA Collective (Migrant Women’s Education project) – In 2024, Belfast Charitable Society agreed to fund ANAKA for a further two years (previously funded 2022 – 2024) in order to support the costs of two part time Education Project staff dedicated to addressing education and skills gaps for school age children, young adults (aged 16-25) and women in the migrant community. Now in the third year of the project, the education workers have delivered education clinics for women and children and developed English conversational classes and ran basic computer classes in Arabic. The group have also teamed up with QUB MSc TESOL and Applied Linguistics students and Refugee Language to run two English language pilot programmes enabling the youth group, who currently have no access to full-time education, to avail of tailor-made classes that will enable them to continue their educational journeys. Alongside these practical workshops and support the group have been involved in ongoing conversations with a range of stakeholders including school principals, politicians, government departments and community groups about the needs of migrant children, young people and parents in the educational system and potential solutions to the myriad of barriers and issues they face. The project has also recruited many volunteers to help deliver homework clubs, Maths & English classes, and children’s activities.


Family Early Intervention Support
Family Early Intervention programme – Funding of two part-time home visitors continues to have a huge impact on families in North Belfast. The team provide 1-1 support to parents in their own home and support the children of these families, aged between 0-18, either at home or in the school setting. Typically, in a six month period, the support workers can help up to 33 families with individual interventions consisting of over 35 parents and close to 50 children. Of these children over 50% are typically experiencing neuro-diversity, either going through the ASD or ADHD assessment or having already received a diagnosis of ASD or ADHD.
Parents who engage with the programme receive tailor-made support that promotes family routines, togetherness and emotional regulation. The results from these interventions are evident, with families functioning more positively and resilience being acquired to deal with any obstacles that come their way in the future.
Creative Digital Hub
Creative Digital Hub – a facility based at St Malachys College to bring together students from North Belfast to develop their digital skills using VR machines, building and programming Lego robots and collaborating through projects in a state-of-the-art gaming arena. The Belfast Charitable Society helped cover the costs of employing two posts, a Creative Technology Leader and a Creative Technologist, and contributed towards the building refurbishment including furniture and equipment. To date, those using the facility include four schools: St Malachy’s College, Belfast Boys Model, Dominican College Fortwilliam and Belfast Royal Academy; over 20 different subject teachers; and nearly 1,000 students from years 8 – 14 . Specific courses delivered include digital enrichment, google workspace, coding, Minecraft, and the use of VR headsets to explore a Nuclear Fission reactor. The equipment also aided the KS3 Digital Curriculum. This has had a positive influence on the numbers of students choosing computer science for GCSE which has increased significantly. The project has developed strong links with industry and Ulster University.


Mary Ann McCracken Bursary Programme
Mary Ann McCracken Post Primary bursaries – For 16 years old + students from North Belfast, providing access to financial support to break down barriers to higher education, employment or training. Belfast Charitable Society and The Mary Ann McCracken Foundation funding for the bursaries is matched with a series of other funders including the Raj Darshna Fund, LFT Charitable Trust, The James Kane Foundation and Hunter Smyth fund. In 2023, over 60 students were supported across 12 post primary schools in North Belfast. The bursaries have been used to support transport costs to University; studying resources like books and laptops; clothes for interviews; equipment for specialist courses like catering or engineering, to name but a few. With the help of the schools, each bursary is tailored for the need of the student selected, maximising its impact.
Shankill Area Learning Community
The Shankill Area Learning Community – a network of 8 primary school principals, work collaboratively to develop leadership, address issues, challenges and opportunities unique to the Shankill community. They work with the Greater Shankill Partnership, local post primary schools, Queens University and sit on several local community group committees. Belfast Charitable Society currently part funds a Co-Ordinator post for the Shankill Area Learning Community. The role will manage shared learning, resources and expertise among the Shankill primary schools, coordinate these aspects and cover lessons for teachers to pursue continuous professional development.


‘Cost-of-Living Crisis’ Schools Support Fund
The Cost-of-Living Crisis Schools Support Fund – an initiative created by Belfast Charitable Society to support schools in the most deprived areas of Belfast. Schools in these communities, which have already absorbed real-term cuts in their budgets, are suffering exponentially in the current cost-of-living crisis – and so are the children. The Society responded to this emergency rapidly and flexibly, offering support for schools to run breakfast clubs and other food programmes to meet a real need.
PROMOTING PHILANTHROPY
Promoting Philanthropy – the Society facilitates conversation, work and action to increase philanthropy in NI, and to bring more resources to addressing disadvantage.
Find out more HERE.
ADDRESSING POVERTY AND DISADVANTAGE

Ardoyne Bone Community Health and Leisure Trust
Ardoyne Bone Community Health and Leisure – was established in March 2016 with the objective of addressing the problems developing around a disused school building. The objectives of the Trust since assuming responsibility for the site have been to lease parts of the building to local health and leisure tenants in order to secure revenues, and to secure capital funding in order to refurbish the building and deliver a modern leisure facility to a standard consistent with public and private sector providers in other parts of Belfast. The Belfast Charitable Society is currently providing funding towards a Development Manager who will play a pivotal role in the implementation of the facilities Business Plan for the centre. This includes job creation, training opportunities and ultimately overseeing activities to make the centre more efficient and sustainable.
The People’s Kitchen
The People’s Kitchen – provides outreach, drop-in, signposting, and food to create a safety net for homeless people in Belfast. Funding provided by Belfast Charitable Society contributed towards the day-to-day running costs of this essential crisis service over their busiest period in winter. The funding provided 800 meals per week from December to March, bought 500 sleeping bags; bought sleeping mats for rough sleepers and emergency blankets during the storm; purchased 38 mobile phones to help individuals get connected with their support services; helped TPK support 67 people find temporary accommodation – during the worst weather; and enabled them to provide transport for those homeless who had been allocated temporary accommodation. Urgent direct support for those in real crisis.


Newington Credit Union
Newington Credit Union – is a not-for-profit, member owned organisation established by local people in 1967 within the Newington Area of North Belfast following an identified need to provide local people with opportunities to have access to financial services to improve their quality of life and living standards. Belfast Charitable Society is supporting the cost of a part time Marketing Officer for three years so the organisation can develop a marketing/digital strategy; increase adult and juvenile membership; promote products and services of the Credit Union; and increase work in local schools and the Ulster University in order to promote and educate children/young people/students of the benefits of saving and borrowing safely to meet their financial and future needs.
Lower Oldpark Community Association
Lower Oldpark Community Association (LOCA) run a Community Centre in Lower Old Park, a deprived interface area of North Belfast. Within this site, they organise a range of educational and recreational activities for the benefit of the local community including educational classes, a play group, an over 50s friendship club, community fun days and events, and a summer schemes for local children and young people. Belfast Charitable Society currently contribute towards total salary costs of a Housing and Regeneration Worker for LOCA. The Housing and Regeneration Worker promotes and supports physical regeneration in the Lower Oldpark neighbourhood and helps residents address housing and local environment problems.

HERITAGE DEVELOPMENT

North Belfast Heritage Cluster & Re-Creating a Great Place North Belfast
North Belfast Heritage Cluster is a network of local organisations that want to use their assets to catalyse regeneration in one of the most disadvantaged areas of NI, while ensuring the sustainability of members and building. The Society funds a small percentage of the National Lottery Heritage Fund’s project, Re-Creating a Great Place North Belfast.
Re-Creating a Great Place North Belfast project helps to raise awareness of historic buildings and sites stretching for one mile along Donegall Street, Clifton Street, the Crumlin Road and part of the Antrim Road. Find out more visit https://greatplacenorthbelfast.com/
SUPPORT FOR OLDER PEOPLE
Creative Local Action Responses and Engagement
Creative Local Action Responses and Engagement – Formed in 2013 by members of the North Belfast Community, CLARE (Creative Local Action, Response and Engagement) uses a community development social work approach targeting people over the age of 65 in order to address social isolation, loneliness and improve health and well-being. They empower people aged 65+ to shape and manage their care by drawing on skills within the local community. Belfast Charitable Society is currently contributing to salary costs to support the ongoing work of the CLARE project and enable it to consider other income streams.


NI Hospice
Belfast Charitable Society currently covers the salaries of two Specialist Community Care Palliative Nurses. The nurses are trained in pancreatic cancer awareness and symptom management. They provide end-of life care, and support families of patients. Working in both Belfast and South-Eastern Health & Social Care Trusts, to date the nurses have provided care for over 3oo patients, providing invaluable support and comfort in the final months of their lives, and fulfilling their wish of passing away at home surrounded by their family.
MANAGED FUNDS
Hunter Smyth Fund
The Hunter Smyth fund was established in 2022 through a partnership between the Smyth family and Belfast Charitable Society. The Society was approached by a philanthropic couple, who, having seen the work it was involved in, wished to support similar efforts.
The fund will support and empower and deliver activity to address disadvantage. It is anticipated that the fund will operate for 15 years. Its first grant has been awarded to support an excellent dementia and carers project in L’Derry.
