Wheatley Foundation aids thousands of tenants

More than 17,000 tenants of Wheatley Group have received support through its foundation.

Wheatley Foundation, a key part of the Wheatley Group, has made a significant investment of £6.7 million in various programmes to support tenants of Wheatley Homes Glasgow, Wheatley Homes East, Wheatley Homes South, Loretto, and customers supported by Wheatley Care.

The foundation plays a crucial role in supporting individuals living in some of Scotland’s most disadvantaged communities. In the past year alone, the foundation has provided assistance to families through the distribution of over 9100 food and fuel vouchers.

Additionally, almost 8000 tenants have benefited from welfare benefits advice, resulting in £13.7 million of previously unclaimed benefits being accessed.

Through strategic partnerships, the foundation has also supported more than 2250 young families. For example, initiatives like Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, which offers free books to children under five, have been instrumental in helping these families.

Professor Paddy Gray OBE, the Chair of Wheatley Foundation, highlighted the crucial role that the foundation plays in supporting tenants facing financial challenges, stating: “The foundation is an invaluable lifeline for many of our tenants who are struggling through financial hardship.”

“Over the past year, we’ve been able to provide our tenants with access to expert financial advice, employment opportunities, training, and learning resources. The record-breaking £13.7 million we helped tenants claim will have a significant impact on families across our communities.”

In addition to financial support, the foundation’s Wheatley Works programme has provided 988 job training opportunities and apprenticeships, creating employment prospects for many individuals.

The Home Comforts programme, another pivotal initiative by the foundation, has diverted more than 143 tonnes of household goods from landfill by upcycling donated furniture and providing it to tenants in need free of charge over the last year.

Operating across 19 local authority areas in central and southern Scotland, the foundation reaches customers in urban centres like Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Falkirk, as well as smaller communities and rural areas spanning Dumfries and Galloway, West Lothian, Fife, and beyond.