3,000 people helped to stay well through winter

Last year, 26 Leeds community organisations supported people most at risk of becoming unwell during the colder months, thanks to Stay Well this Winter grants. Stay Well this Winter is a partnership between Leeds Community Foundation and Leeds City Council. Since 2012, we’ve made 374 grants and supported nearly 32,000 people through the programme. 

Thanks to the most recent round of funding, locally rooted organisations worked with people in their communities during the winter of 2024-25. They provided a range of services and activities, including home assessments and wellness checks, social sessions, warm spaces, and essential winter items. Many of the organisations also provided referrals to other services to support people’s individual needs. 

Many community organisations supported older people, with others working with people facing different multiple and intersecting winter vulnerabilities – homelessness, poverty, disabilities and refugee or asylum seeker status. 

Thanks to the funded activities, 1,503 people said their mental wellbeing improved and 1,250 reported better physical health. People were able to build social connections, with 747 people saying they felt less lonely. The activities also supported participants’ economic wellbeing – 237 said they were better able to heat their homes and stay warm, while 424 reported improved access to food. 

One organisation, Special Needs and Parent Support (SNAPS) works to improve the physical and mental wellbeing of children with disabilities, their siblings and their families. They used their Stay Well this Winter grant to run additional ‘Stay and Play’ sessions over the winter months. Doing so meant that vulnerable families could stay warm and connected in an accessible venue. 

More than 100 families attended each week for a range of specialised and accessible activities, support and resources. Thanks to the regular contact, the organisation was able to build trust and support networks with those who might otherwise have struggled to attend over the season. 

SNAPS say that all 174 parents that fed back to them have seen their child’s mental health and wellbeing improve through the sessions. Many also said their own feelings of isolation had lessened. Some of the families now meet up outside of the sessions, having built social and peer support networks at ‘Stay and Play’. 

As well as directly supporting people in their communities thanks to their grants, organisations also reported additional benefits. Half said their grant helped them to improve their services, and a number said their grant helped them secure even more funding. Collectively, they raised an additional £33,000 to support their communities with winter vulnerabilities. 

We’re incredibly proud of our ongoing partnership with Leeds City Council to help people in the city to stay well through winter. We’re delivering a 15th round of the Stay Well this Winter grants programme in 2025 and look forward to sharing its impact.