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Founded some 500 years ago to help alleviate deprivation in part of the City of London and South Islington, Cripplegate Foundation now has an endowment of £30m. Its job and remit are more important now than ever, as the area still has very high levels of poverty and deprivation.
The South Islington Advice Project provides advice on welfare rights and services in King’s Cross. It is targeted at the hardest-to-reach groups, and currently provides weekly services to people from five different communities: Bengalis, Somalis, Tenants, a Community Centre and a Children’s Centre (formerly SureStart). Crucially, the advice is delivered in the communities themselves, which has enabled the project to bring some of the most vulnerable users to the project.
Cripplegate gave funding of £110,000 over two years from its launch in February 2006, with Newlon Housing Association and SureStart both contributing £5,000 each per year.
The results are impressive. Last year alone, some £130,000 was accessed in the take up of additional benefits people did not realise they could claim. Four out of the five projects have had 100% take-up in the last two quarters. “The impact has been very powerful,” says Kristina Glenn, Director. “People have been able to resolve issues such as debt and eviction. They have found ways of being able to just live, through accessing Disability Living Allowance, for example. But it’s not just about money. They feel they can resolve their problems longer-term.”
“The South Islington Advice project service is of paramount importance to the local Bangladeshi community. It provides access to better services for individuals and their families, leading to a better quality of life,” adds Asad Choudry, Manager, Islington Bangladesh Association.
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