For the second year running, Coventry Building Society is donating an additional £1 million to help those in need across Coventry. The extra funding will support long-term initiatives in dozens of local organisations including schools, foodbanks, social supermarkets, youth groups and Citizens Advice.

The Society made a total community investment of £3.2 million in 2022, including a £1 million donation in November to help fund cost of living support in Coventry through the winter.

This year’s £1 million donation includes over £320,000 going to schools and youth charities to support literacy and numeracy and help raise aspirations of young people in the city, £100,000 going to the charity Act on Energy to support those in fuel poverty, and £88,000 to Coventry Citizens Advice to establish a Debt Academy for training new debt advisers.

Alongside the donations to Coventry-based causes, each of the Society’s 64 branches from Sheffield to Somerset will give £1,000 to their local foodbank, so communities across the country can benefit.

Anna Cuskin, corporate responsibility manager at Coventry Building Society, said: “We know, from the work we do – week in, week out – in our branches and with our charity partners, how we can make the biggest positive effect to the parts of our communities that need it most. This year’s additional £1 million is on top of our extensive support across the city and is specifically targeted at making a lasting difference to people’s lives.

“The support our partner schools and charity partners give the community is staggering, but demand for their services has rocketed. We’ve been working together to make sure any additional donation this year will not only make it easier for people to get the immediate help they need, but will also provide longer-term support that has a lasting effect.”