Govan group Dates N Mates awarded Asda Foundation Grant

Asda’s charity, The Asda Foundation, has awarded £400 to Scotland's friendship charity run by and for adults with learning disabilities.

Article Source: Asda Foundation
Last Updated: 13 January 2025 12:12

Influenced by their members preferences, the charity organises a wide selection of social events where there are opportunities for new friendships and connections to be created.

The group hosts five events a year, and funding from the Asda Foundation enabled them to organise a Christmas party at a local nightclub while keeping ticket prices low. The event was a great success, with 150 members and non-members attending.

The Asda Foundation has donated £600,000 in grants to 763 groups across the UK working to combat loneliness and isolation, including 102 groups in Scotland. The grants, ranging from £400 to £2,000, are intended to support initiatives that bring local communities together and foster social connections. This funding demonstrates the foundation's dedication to addressing social challenges and strengthening community bonds.

The initiative follows information from Asda’s latest community tracker, which revealed almost one in five people experienced days when they didn’t speak to a single soul. Worryingly, 42 per cent said their mental health suffered because of their lack of interaction with others.

,strong>Roma McHardy, Community and Customer Champion at Asda Govan, said: “It brings me great joy to present this cheque to Dates-N-Mates in Govan, a truly inspiring group making a difference in the lives of young people with learning difficulties. Their efforts to combat loneliness and isolation by helping individuals build connections, make friends, and explore relationships is transformative.

“We’re proud to support their mission to create a more inclusive and compassionate community where everyone can thrive and find meaningful connections.”

Janie Waddle, West of Scotland Regional Lead, Dates-N-Mates said: “On behalf of everyone at Dates-N-Mates, Govan, I want to extend our heartfelt thanks for this incredible funding. Adults and young people with learning disabilities often face significant isolation after leaving college, and our dating agency is a vital lifeline, giving them the chance to build lasting relationships and a sense of belonging.

“This support allowed us to host a fantastic event in a mainstream venue, helping to normalise and celebrate inclusion. The funding was instrumental in keeping ticket prices affordable, enabling more of our members and even non-members to join in. It was a joy to see so many people connecting and having fun—something that means the world to us. Thank you, Asda, for making it possible!”

Martin Kendal, Asda Foundation - Communications and Impact Advisor, said: “The Asda Foundation understands that groups centred around bringing people together over a shared interest or hobby, to projects set up to support vulnerable people in our community – these organisations are a lifeline for many, often facing high demand with the added pressure of shortages in donations and volunteers. It’s incredibly important for community groups to have the resources they need to support those who need it the most and The Asda Foundation are proud to have been able to support the group with Grassroots Grants funding.”

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