Our Supporters:
McInroy & Wood

McInroy & Wood offers a discretionary investment management service to individuals, families, trusts and charities. We caught up with Liz Wild, Director, about being Members of Leeds Community Foundation and what community issues are important to them. 

How have you been involved with Leeds Community Foundation? 

McInroy & Wood have been supporters of Leeds Community Foundation since 2018 when we first joined as Members. Over the years, we have helped raise awareness of Leeds Community Foundation and their valuable work with our contacts and attended several events including one of the excellent ‘seeing is believing’ bus tours visiting groups around Leeds. We also offered support around Financial Education by sharing a financial literacy booklet aimed at young people called ‘Joe’s Journey’ that our firm co-sponsored.

  

How important is social value to you? 

This is a new term to me, but my understanding is that it refers to the value that individuals and businesses attribute to the communities in which they live and operate. As a firm, we encourage our employees to be active in our local communities supporting organisations both by enabling individuals to take time out of work to volunteer as well as encouraging staff to put forward charities and community organisations to our charity committee under our Supporting the Community initiatives. As Investment Managers, we consider the social impact businesses have on their customers, suppliers, and the communities in which they operate.

  

What community issues are important to you? 

There are many issues that concern me and as individuals we have to be realistic about how we can make a difference. One area is the level of poverty and deprivation experienced by children and young people in and around Yorkshire. This is shockingly high and an issue that has wide impacts. However, there are a number of innovative groups looking at ways to help right now as well as find ways to lift these young people and open opportunities to them which is really encouraging. There’s a great opportunity for businesses in all sorts of sectors to help make a difference.

  

Has the pandemic and cost-of-living crisis altered the way you view investment into communities? 

The pandemic and cost-of-living have in many ways highlighted growing inequalities within our communities. There are lots of incredibly innovative and dynamic people who have taken it upon themselves to try and make things better for their communities. As a firm, we have become more structured in our corporate giving and found new ways to support organisations.

 

What makes Leeds a unique city? 

I was not born in Leeds, but our family lived here for eight very happy years, and we were welcomed in by our local community which was in its own way rather unique. There is a great diversity of cultures within the city and a vibrant mix with the student population that make it a great place to live whilst also being so close to the countryside.

  

Have you got any advice for organisations that are looking to support Leeds Community Foundation? 

As a Trustee of Two Ridings Community Foundation myself, I am biased about Community Foundations and how incredibly effective they can be at reaching those in our society who need the most support. I have seen the positive impact small sums of money can have on groups and communities across Yorkshire. I would encourage other organisations to find out for themselves by talking to the team at Leeds Community Foundation and visiting some of the groups to see for themselves what is possible and how a little can go so far, but also how much more is needed.

 

Leeds Community Foundation creates opportunities for all by working with partners to make a positive impact within communities across Leeds and Bradford. We do this by generating and investing philanthropic giving as well as maximising statutory funding to deliver grants and provide trusted expertise into Community Organisations, benefitting thousands of local people.

 

Read more about how you can support Leeds Community Foundation here.