Our goal has always been to build something better for the community, that's why we founded the Marsden Building Society Charitable Foundation. The Foundation will help us to better support our communities, delivering financial support to those who need it most.
Since we were founded, our goal has been to build something better for the community and that extends beyond helping members to save and own their own home. For us, it means giving something back to our communities. Each year, the Foundation will provide funding for projects in Lancashire supporting the three key themes detailed below.
Supporting and encouraging financial well-being in the community.
Creating an inclusive community and supporting those around us.
Improving the environment and regenerating the local area.
Age UK Lancashire
We’ll be providing funding to help Age UK Lancashire continue to provide a Community Engagement Manager for the Garstang and District Carers’ Support Group for 2 hours a week from July 2025 to March 2026.
Although the group is open to all ages, the majority of attendees are 70 or over. It provides the opportunity for carers, and those they care for, to get together for a brew and a chat, sharing their experiences and helping to reduce social isolation.
The Community Engagement Manager organises guest speakers to talk about a range of issues as well as publicising the group to others in the area.
Burnley Boys & Girls Club
Our funding will help Burnley Boys & Girls Club employ a part-time tutor and work with local organisations to develop and deliver a six week ‘Finding Your Funds’ programme. The programme is designed to educate young people about finances and give them a better chance of achieving financial well-being in the future.
It will be delivered to young people who are not in education or training and cover a range of topics, including the different types of bank and building society accounts available and how to open them, the pitfalls of credit and payday loans, what a credit score is and how it helps when applying for a mortgage or loan in the future, what to do if things go wrong and where to find help and advice.
Burnley Youth Theatre
We’ll be providing funding to Burnley Youth Theatre to help them clean up and develop ‘Storyteller’s Wood’, a communal green space behind the venue leading into the Forest of Burnley.
The funding will be used to clear paths and buy and lay bark along the perimeter of the paths to make sure it’s a safe space open to the public and accessible at all times. It will also be used to purchase permanent play equipment to support sensory exploration, stimulate imaginary play and promote outdoor learning.
Cancer Help
Our funding will enable Cancer Help’s support centre in Garstang, Croston House, to purchase gardening equipment, a shed and outdoor furniture.
Their outside space is in need of attention, and the equipment will be used by their gardening group, made up of clients, volunteers and supporters of the charity. They’ll work together to create a space for everybody to enjoy, benefitting from peer support in a relaxed environment along the way.
Connect Community Groups CIC
Connect Community Groups CIC brings together older people in Lytham St Annes to share the joy of being creative through music, art and singing on a weekly basis with their inclusive community choir, through workshops and larger seasonal events.
Our funding will help them to train volunteers to become facilitators of a new group ‘Hidden Harmony Club’, attracting more members to the new weekly sessions at The Windmill Centre and co-producing a cross-generational Christmas celebration, increasing social connection.
First Kick Foundation
The First Kick Foundation is a not-for-profit organisation committed to empowering communities. Our funding will enable them to deliver a sports-based financial well-being programme to three primary schools in Lytham.
Engaging with 120 Year 6 pupils, the programme will combine sports with education, covering a range of topics including the value of money and how to budget, giving them the confidence, skill set and ability to make informed decisions about money as they transition to high school.
Nature Warriors
Our funding will help Nature Warriors create a ‘Street Champions’ project where local people from Nelson will be encouraged to take ownership of the litter outside their homes, blocks and streets, as well as running a monthly litter pick for them to target problem areas in the town together.
Funding will go towards the purchase of litter picking equipment, publicity to recruit 100 champions and to create an interactive website which will allow people to sign up and take ownership of their street.
Our Lady and St Edwards Catholic Primary School PTA
Last year, the PTA started a project called ‘Love My School Community Garden’, holding several community days where they cleared an area, ready for a new polytunnel. With the polytunnel in place, they’re ready to start growing fruit and vegetables, and create a seating area for all to enjoy.
Our funding will enable the PTA to purchase the growing equipment they need, create areas to store the equipment to prolong the life of the community garden and buy seating.
Pennine Lancashire Community Farm
Our funding will help Pennine Lancashire Community Farm run a series of sessions at their March Street community garden in Stoneyholme, Burnley.
The sessions will give local people a sense of ownership of the site to help them see it as a valuable resource in an area with little green space and few gardens. The activities will include learning about biodiversity and practical ways to improve it, trying out traditional rural skills, foraging for wild food and outdoor cooking.
T.E.A.M R.I.S.E Project
The T.E.A.M R.I.S.E Project supports adults with learning disabilities, autism and those who are vulnerable, lonely or socially isolated in the Burnley area.
Our funding will help them to facilitate sessions about financial well-being, giving members the opportunity to understand how to budget, stay safe online and navigate the changing benefit system. Sessions will be tailored to their members, using material that’s easy to understand and accessible.
The Flowhesion Foundation
We’ll be providing funding to enable The Flowhesion Foundation to engage up to 30 Pashtun carers in a ‘Money Matters’ programme to help improve their financial literacy and support money management.
The programme will run from their base in Daneshouse and will support 30 carers aged 23-65 over a course of 12 weeks, covering topics including budgeting, debt management and saving.
AFC Fylde Community Foundation
We provided funding for AFC Fylde Community Foundation to teach young people about employment, education and finances.
The project was delivered over 12 weeks to 4 cohorts of year 11 pupils from Lytham St Anne’s High School and Saint Bede’s Catholic High School.
Covering a range of topics, the project gave those attending a well-rounded set of skills to help them navigate their next steps, whether that was further education or the world of work. From how to write a CV to understanding savings and mortgages, the project delivered skills vital to achieving financial well-being in the future.
Carers Link Lancashire
Carers Link Lancashire delivers services directly to carers in the region, and indirectly to those they care for. Our funding enabled them to deliver a series of bi-weekly well-being sessions for registered carers over the age of 50 living in Burnley, Barrowford, Colne and Nelson.
Delivered in partnership with Harwes Farm CIC, the sessions provided respite opportunities and the chance for carers to meet people in similar situations, creating support networks and peer support groups.
The sessions each had a different focus including music and the arts, foraging, outdoor pursuits such as archery, fire building and outdoor cookery, felting and allotment sessions. Each session was attended by up to 20 carers.
Colne Citadel
We provided funding to Colne Citadel to run additional bingo sessions for over 50s. Much needed in the community, Colne Citadel aim to improve the lives of residents by reducing social isolation in a safe and caring environment.
The bingo sessions provided food and drinks to attendees who enjoyed 3 rounds of bingo with the opportunity to win 6 prizes, making new friends in a warm and inclusive space along the way.
Colne Open Door Centre
Colne Open Door Centre supports the local community with a range of services, including a free counselling service and a community café. The funding provided enabled them to run a financial well-being course, arming locals with the skills and awareness to lead them to a better and safer financial future.
The course, which was delivered to 120 beneficiaries, tackled issues such as debt, recognising situations that may trigger non-essential spending, creating healthy habits and building a toolkit of financial support and resources.
Female Friendship Forum
We provided funding to the Female Friendship Forum to help them reach and engage with women over the age of 50 in the Pendle area, who were isolated and struggling with their mental well-being.
The funds delivered activities such as yoga, arts and crafts, sewing, talks on self-care and the opportunity to get closer to nature. The sessions supported increased self-confidence, a positive outlook on life, improved physical and mental health and provided the opportunity to build new friendships.
Fylde Rugby Community Foundation
Fylde Rugby Community Foundation uses sport as a tool to improve the lives and prospects of local people, their mental, social, and physical health and overall well-being.
We provided funding to expand their ‘Walking Rugby’ programme into Lytham. The programme helped vulnerable and isolated locals aged 50+ and those who were physically inactive.
With 20 weeks of accessible walking rugby and social activities delivered, each 2-hour session gave locals the opportunity to feel fitter and more active, socialise and improve their mental health.
Heartbeat North West Cardiac Care
We provided funding to Heartbeat to provide cardiac rehabilitation exercise classes in Lytham. The classes were available to people with cardiovascular disease or those at high risk of developing it. Running 2 sessions per week for 26 weeks, each session lasted an hour and was carried out by a qualified instructor trained to work with people with heart conditions.
Giving attendees the chance to improve their physical and mental health, the classes also provided the opportunity to meet people with similar experiences who understand what they’re going through, building a network of friends, and reducing isolation.
Nature Warriors
Nature Warriors encourage local people to become more active and enjoy the outdoors. Our funding helped them deliver 30 sessions to young people from Burnley and Pendle focussing on reducing their carbon footprint through recycling, growing food, litter pickups and reducing air miles by encouraging them to holiday locally.
Alongside the sessions, there were 4 trips to explore activities such as hiking, fishing, camping and water sports, providing an element of fun alongside structured learning about the climate emergency.
Parochial Church Council of St James (St James Community Centre)
We provided funding to St James Community Centre to help them expand their activities. This included running a 10-week craft course for older people, as well as replacing the games they have, buying more books for their Mental Health Support Group and other equipment to support their existing programme of events.
Providing a welcoming space filled with positive, nurturing and inclusive activities, the funding not only helped to expand and keep their existing activities running, it also helped those attending feel less isolated, whilst boosting their confidence and self-esteem.
TramShed Theatre Company
An inclusive theatre company and charity, our funding helped TramShed launch a new pilot project called ‘Hill Billy Rock’, engaging those aged 50+ in performing arts and dance workshops.
Following the success of ‘Silver Shed’ which we were delighted to fund in 2023, the programme featured 12 weekly workshops delivered by their artistic team with a ‘Barn Dance Celebration Evening’ as a finale.
The project created a place for isolated individuals to come together in a safe and inclusive environment to learn new skills, boost their confidence and build new friendships.
Whitewell Bottom Pre-School
We provided funding to Whitewell Bottom Pre-School to help them make the large outdoor area the children have access to for growing herbs, vegetables, and plants more accessible.
The area couldn’t be accessed all year round as it was too muddy for the youngest children and didn’t have wheelchair access. The pre-school wanted to flag part of the area so the children could access it regardless of the weather or their mobility needs.
The funding also supported staff taking the children to the community centre allotments to grow different types of vegetables and feel part of the wider community, boosting their confidence and social interactions, whilst continuing to learn about nature and sustainability.
AFC Fylde Community Foundation
We supported the Foundation with funding for a staff member to provide weekly group sessions for over 55s who were vulnerable and isolated. The sessions included activities such as ‘Walk & Talk by the Sea’, armchair exercises, quizzes, and workshops.
Aged Blind & Disabled Centre Charitable Trust
Funding covered the costs of room hire to continue running three different groups in Bacup - ‘Thursday Lunch Club’ (a dementia carers and friends group), ‘Crafting Group’ (where retired people share arts and crafts to reduce isolation and loneliness) and ‘Friday Club’ (an over 65s social club).
Bodies in Motion
We helped to cover staffing costs for a project supporting elderly people across Brierfield. The staff member contacted and worked with elderly people to help them access the group’s ‘Well-Being Hub’, giving them a warm space, food, and somewhere to find support.
The Flowhesion Foundation
Funding delivered a ‘Money Matters’ programme, lasting 12 weeks for 35 Pashtoon men in Burnley (aged 23-65) covering tax, credit, savings, and other financial management skills.
The Greater Good
Funding provided music, movement and poetry workshops to over 60s living in care homes across Burnley to improve mood and tackle loneliness.
Lancashire County Cricket Club Foundation
Funding helped to deliver an hour-long weekly walking cricket session for over 60s in Brierfield. It lasted for 9 months and was delivered by a trained coach. Two participants received coach training to allow them to facilitate future sessions.
Layton Methodist Church
We helped the church purchase 20 basic smartphones and paid for a digital skills tutor to help older people in Blackpool with their digital literacy and increase their access to services and socialisation.
Park View 4 U
Our funding provided a weekly ‘Wood and Well-Being’ session for 8-12 men (mainly over 60s) in Lytham, carrying out half-day sessions each week, working on seasonal projects that benefitted the local community and other clubs.
Spring into Action
Funding provided financial education for adults with learning disabilities in Hyndburn to increase their autonomy and reduce their risk of financial abuse. 4 separate 12-week courses were held with 12 participants attending each course.
TramShed Theatre Company
We helped TramShed engage over 60s in Blackpool, Fylde and the Wyre in performing arts, confidence building and sign language workshops. Sessions were run weekly for 12 weeks followed by a celebratory afternoon tea.
Urban Organic
Our funding covered staff costs and materials for a weekly gardening club in Blackpool for older people at N-Vision (Princess Alexandra Blind Home). This gave the participants access to a regular hobby, socialisation, and additional activities during the afternoon tea break.
We’ll be sharing more details and case studies about each project on our website, social media and via our e-newsletter so keep an eye out!
The next available funding will launch in April 2026.
We awarded £3,000 to the Female Friendship Forum to fund weekly well-being sessions for women over 50 in the Pendle area.
We awarded £2,990 to Colne Citadel, to fund bingo sessions aimed at tackling isolation and loneliness amongst local people aged 50+.
We donated £2,800 to Nature Warriors’ ‘Custodians of the Earth’ initiative to empower young people to reduce their carbon footprint.
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