Leathersellers' Foundation and Merchant Taylors' Foundation begin Early Years Programme

Leathersellers’ Foundation and Merchant Taylors’ Foundation begin Early Years Programme supporting child development in Lewisham.

The Early Years Programme, a joint initiative between the Leathersellers’ Foundation and the Merchant Taylors’ Foundation, is now underway, with a total of £220,000 of grants approved for five charities over two years.

The aim of the Programme is to support children from low-income households in Lewisham by improving access to developmental activities and opportunities, improving their ability in at least one of the seven areas of learning within the Early Years Foundation Stage.

Both local and national charities were invited to apply and were selected on criteria demonstrating: a focus on the borough of Lewisham; involvement of parents and family; interventions that target low-income households; local knowledge and connections; and evidence of impact.

Natalia Rymaszewska, Head of Grants at the Leathersellers’ Foundation said: “We know that providing the opportunity to access developmental activities in the early years is critical as research indicates a cumulative effect of disadvantage in educational achievement. Focusing support here can help break a cycle of inter-generational disadvantage and be a driver of social mobility.”

Jane Hindle, Education Manager at the Merchant Taylors’ Foundation, said: “Our research showed that a child’s brain is 80% developed by the age of two, hence the focus in the Programme on families with 0-3 year olds. We know that the skills and confidence developed in those years lay the foundations not only for formal education but for lifelong learning and wellbeing.”

The five charity partners who are now part of the Programme, after successful applications, are: Homestart Southwark and Lewisham; MammaKind; National Literacy Trust; Early Years Alliance; and The Parent Village.

Each of the five charities were awarded equal grants of £20,000 for Year 1 and, subject to the success of Year 1, a similar or slightly increased amount for Year 2.

Both the Leathersellers’ Foundation and Merchant Taylors’ Foundation have a long-term commitment to the borough of Lewisham – primarily through the provision of almshouses and support for education.

About the charities and their approaches

Homestart Southwark and Lewisham

• Empower families in Southwark and Lewisham to create happier lives for their children.
• Bring together a community-based team of trained peer volunteers and family support workers to assist parents in challenging circumstances.
• Grant to increase reach of core service across Lewisham.

MammaKind

• A baby and parent service, providing a ‘pack’ of essentials including equipment such as prams and carriers, clothes, toys, and books to prevent and relieve poverty as well as enabling access to opportunities amongst families with young children in Lewisham.
• Work with a network of referral partners who connect them with families who need support.
• Grant to expand reach of core service across Lewisham.

National Literacy Trust

• A national charity committed to empower people with the literacy skills they need to succeed in life.
• Have a defined vision for early years as part of their 2024 strategy, which is: “Every child starts school with language and communication skills ready to grow and learn at school.”
• Grant to help fund the roll-out and provision of First Words Together (for 0–3-year-olds), involving the training and continued peer support of early years practitioners in the private, voluntary, and independent sector.

Early Years Alliance

• The largest early years membership organisation in England, working to support young children and their families, particularly in areas of disadvantage.
• Early Years Alliance has been providing services to vulnerable children, families, and early years providers in the borough of Lewisham for over 60 years.
• Grant to fund a project providing play opportunities for children with / suspected to have Special Educational Needs and Disabilities and provide an accessible and enabling environment to enhance development. Sessions to be provided in Bellingham, Deptford and Downham.

The Parent Village

• A charity that aims to create a community committed to improving parental mental health, wellbeing, and confidence.
• Grant to fund the provision of “stay and play” sessions in a community setting in Downham as well as group learning opportunities for parents.

Notes

The Leathersellers and Lewisham

The Leathersellers has been involved with fostering opportunity for the people of Lewisham since the 17^th century. Today, the Company plays a significant role in the governance of both its associated schools in Lewisham, as the sole corporate member of Colfe’s School and as a joint corporate member of the Leathersellers’ Federation of Schools multi-academy trust, and also via several appointed board members. Around £1m is awarded to educational programmes each year.

Colfe’s is one of the oldest schools in London. Governance was bequeathed to the Leathersellers’ Company in 1658 by Abraham Colfe, a local vicar and landowner. The Leathersellers’ Sixth Form scholarship programme at the school provides academically talented young people in challenging financial circumstances with the opportunity to attend Colfe’s school for their final years.

The Leathersellers’ Federation of Schools develops the vision of Joseph Prendergast who founded Lewisham’s first girls’ secondary school in 1890, on a site provided by the Leathersellers’ Company. Spread across three sites in Lewisham, the Federation comprises five state schools providing education to over 5,000 students from 3 – 18 years old. Funding is provided for enrichment activities including mental and physical health initiatives; additional resources for those struggling or excelling; providing extracurricular opportunities that would otherwise be inaccessible; and a universal breakfast club.

The Merchant Taylors and Lewisham

The Merchant Taylors’ Company is one of the Great Twelve Livery Companies of the City of London. Originally, it regulated and represented tailoring and related trades in medieval London. Over time its focus shifted, and it became a grant-making organisation. Members now channel their collective efforts into volunteering, fundraising and supporting transformative causes.

The Merchant Taylors’ Company has a historical connection to Lewisham, having provided housing there for those in need since 1826. Today, it provides social housing at Christopher Boone’s Court for people aged over 57 and is currently considering the development of accommodation for young people in the borough.

The Merchant Taylors’ Foundation (the charitable arm of the Merchant Taylors’ Company) funds opportunities for people to learn and thrive. Alongside support for the many schools and educational institutions with which the Company is linked, the Foundation has proactive relationships with, among others, Lewisham Music, Construction Youth Trust and Depaul UK – many of them shaped by our research into the needs of Lewisham.

Early Years Foundation Stage

The Programme aims to support charities that provide or increase access to activities that help a child’s development in at least one of the seven areas of learning within the Early Years Foundation Stage. These are:

• Communication and language
• Personal, social and emotional development
• Physical development
• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the world
• Expressive arts and design

Photography © National Literacy Trust