May 2026 Awards

Jun 22
4 min read

Throughout the year, our Trustees award grants from our two core funds. The 'Stronger Communities Fund' (SCF), where we provide funding to groups making positive differences in their communities, and the 'Manchester's Rising Stars Fund' (MRSF) where we award grants supporting ambitious young Mancunians from disadvantage in their next steps to success.

In May, we awarded £9868 through our Stronger communities' fund, awarding 3 community groups throughout Manchester. We have also awarded 5 young people through our Manchester’s rising stars fund nearly £25,000 to pursue their ambitions!

Stronger Communities Fund Awards

Friends of Burnage Library grew out of a campaign by local people in 2013 to save their local Library from closure. Friends of Burnage Library work in partnership with Manchester Libraries and Southway Housing Association to run a successful community hub, supported by over 45 volunteers and offering a range of activities. The Hub receives over 1400 visits a month and is a trusted space and an incubator for local people's ideas and creativity. Over its 12 years as a community-powered Library volunteers have clocked up over 30,000 hours - equating to an investment by the community of over £300,000!.

Friends of Burnage library have been awarded £3900 to support their Digital Cafe project which aims to address the digital divide which impacts older people on low incomes and social housing tenants

We are so grateful for this award, which will provide continued funding for our Digital Cafe. These weekly drop-in sessions help people with real-world problems such as emails, managing finances, completing online forms, accessing vital online services and sharing family news and photos. We have seen the difference this can make to people's lives, reducing social isolation, increasing their skills and confidence and allowing them to take more control over their lives. We would like to say a huge "Thank You" to We Love Manchester for giving us the funds we need so that the Digital Cafe can carry on supporting our community.

Our space youth club provides a safe space for children with additional needs aged 7 - 18 in Wythenshawe. The group runs at Benchill Community centre as it is a familiar, accessible and an inviting space for families. Their workshops are mainly arts and crafts based as evidence has shown that they are effective in boosting social skills for children with autism and neuro diversity. There are few youth provision providers for children and young people with additional needs, autism and neurodiversity and their families in Wythenshawe.

Our Space have received funding of £1900 to support their members to attend swimming and cycling sessions at the Seashell trust. The funding allows them exclusive use to the swimming and cycling track allowing their members more safety and security of knowing other members.

Thank you so much. This grant is going to make a huge difference.Our children and young people can now access an exclusive swimming session. Plus they can now access a cycle track with adaptive bikes.

The Inspirational Women is a community-led organisation committed to improving the health, wellbeing, safety and long-term independence of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) women. They support women who are affected by trauma, isolation, domestic abuse, poor mental health and financial hardship. Their work is rooted in lived experience, cultural understanding and a strong belief that every woman deserves the opportunity to heal, grow and thrive. They want to create a future where women feel safe, supported and empowered to rebuild their lives, regardless of their background or past experiences.

The funding they received of £4000 will grant them to continue their weekly wellbeing sessions for 12 months. Over a 12-month period, they aim to engage at least 60 BAME women, primarily from Nigerian, Ghanaian, Kenyan, and Zimbabwean communities. Activities will include weekly walking and swimming sessions, monthly wellbeing workshops, quarterly health checks delivered with professionals, skills development sessions such as sewing and bead-making to encourage financial independence and peer support groups and safe spaces, providing culturally appropriate emotional support.

We extend our heartfelt gratitude to We❤️Mcr for their invaluable contribution, which enables us to offer these sessions at no cost to our members. Together, we are empowering women and creating a healthier community. The funding will enable The Inspirational Women to create a comprehensive support system for BAME women facing loneliness, isolation, mental health challenges. Through a combination of fitness activities, team building, activities, discussions, workshops, and community events, we aspire to empower and uplift the women, fostering a resilient and connected community that prioritises mental well-being.

Manchester’s Rising Stars Fund Awards

Asher, 17 from Manchester has been awarded £5000 to support him to attend a dance programme in Pittsburgh in America.

I'm so grateful to the We Love MCR charity for this opportunity. after all the struggles with money and family i'd never thought I’d have the opportunity to, but with the help of this charity it now possible.

David, 18 from Clayton and Openshaw has ambitions to be an actor on both stage and screen and has been awarded £990 for support with auditions and memberships.