Yorkshire Communities Received over £360,000 in 2024 with Drax Foundation Funding

Charities, organisations and community groups in Yorkshire were given a significant boost during 2024, with over a quarter of a million pounds worth of funding awarded by the Drax Foundation for local initiatives.

Over £260,000 worth of donations were provided by the charitable entity of renewable energy company Drax, with funding going to a wide variety of organisations who support to local communities, help to develop STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) skills and support the transition to a net-zero future.

In North Yorkshire, near to Drax Power Station, £50,000 was awarded to Speakers for Schools, a leading social mobility charity that provides young people aged 14-19 with transformational career-enabling opportunities.

The funding saw 510 young people participate in the charity’s STEM programme in York, Hull and Doncaster, where they were given the opportunity to combine class-based learning with visits to businesses and employer visits to schools.

James Webster, Donor Relations Manager, Speakers for Schools said: “Following the success of our Workspaces of the Future project, we are delighted to be supported by the Drax Foundation once again to STEM-related work experience opportunities. This allows us to provide a project-based work experience engagement programme, building on all that we have learned from our previous collaboration to impact young people in Yorkshire who would otherwise not have access to such resources.”

Alongside the support for STEM learning, funding also went towards addressing fuel poverty in across Yorkshire.

£100,000 was donated to the Fuel Bank Foundation, an independent charity that aims to support families who pay in advance for energy. The funding will benefit around 3,600 people in 1,400 households who will receive crisis Fuel Bank financial help, alongside advice and support. The grant will also allow the scaling up of the Fuel Bank Foundation’s ‘Heat Fund’ which provides support for off-grid heated homes.

Across the globe, Drax Foundation funding helped to reach over 25,000 young people with STEM and nature-based activities. £3.6m worth of funding in total was donated in Canada, the US and the UK, with £2.91m awarded through the Drax Foundation, £695,000 via the Community Fund, and £11,500 donated through the Drax Crisis Fund, providing emergency aid in response to natural disasters, conflict, and other humanitarian crises.

Miguel Veiga Pestana, Chief Sustainability Officer at Drax said: “Building stronger communities in the areas where Drax operates is the driving force behind our social purpose. Through our charitable giving, we’re empowering individuals with the skills and resources they need to thrive, while also making a tangible contribution to a sustainable future.”