Charity and Community

We believe that when people help people, good things happen. That's why we work with partners and initiatives in our local communities. It's one way we can be there for you when it matters the most.

Our purpose

Our purpose statement, or long-term vision, is clear: putting home ownership within reach of more people, generation after generation.

This means everything we do is centred around helping thousands of people onto the property ladder each year, at a time when it’s harder than ever for them to do so. Our new Purpose Impact Report outlines the progress we’re making towards this goal.

We deliver our Purpose under five key themes:

• Affordable Home Ownership

• Sustainable Communities

• Climate Impact

• Inclusion and Diversity

• Trust and Transparency

These priorities were agreed in consultation with our members.

Read about the progress we’ve made in our Purpose Impact Report

Barnardo's

Barnardo’s is our amazing charity partner, helping young people navigate their lives after leaving the care system. They offer support like finding a place to live, getting into school or work, and dealing with tough times.

They understand that leaving care can be tough, but Barnardo’s is there every step of the way to give the boost needed to succeed.

Now we’re lending a hand and aiming to raise a minimum of £300,000 for this great cause. Together, we’re building brighter tomorrows.

Our Barnardo's partnership

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Sustainable communities

Since 2021, we’ve awarded over £2.5m to charity and community partners, and by 2025 we're aiming to donate at least £3m.

From helping people in need of safe and secure homes through our charitable foundation grants, to our partnership with Barnardo’s supporting young people leaving care, we’re committed to supporting the communities that we serve.

Read about our charity and community partnerships, and check out our Purpose Impact Report to learn more.

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Leeds Building Society Foundation

Since 1999, the Foundation has donated nearly £3 million to over 3,000 local projects and good causes across the UK.

Previously the Foundation provides support to those who were disadvantaged or in vulnerable circumstances. As of July 2022, the Foundation is now focusing on providing support to those in need of a safe and secure home.

The Foundation is partly funded by the Your Interest in Theirs scheme. Through the scheme our members can donate the pence amount of interest earned each year through their savings accounts to charity. The amount raised is split equally between the Foundation and our current charity partner.

More about the Foundation

Volunteers for Dementia UK stood in front of a row of beach huts

Colleague support

Every colleague is given 14 paid hours each year to volunteer for good causes. They’ve planted thousands of trees with the Yorkshire Dales Millennium Trust, maintained a mile of waterway behind our Leeds head office with the Canal & River Trust, delivered financial education and careers advice to young people, shared their professional skills and expertise and much more. For every hour volunteered they earn a £10 per hour donation and we match their fundraising for charities up to £1,000.

Colleagues can also pitch for a share of £250,000 for charities close to their hearts and in 2022 and 2023 eleven colleague-nominated charities received grants ranging from £10,000 to £60,000.

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Responding to global crises

Colleagues, members and the Society donated over £100,000 to support people affected by the conflict in Ukraine and we converted space above our Peterborough branch to provide safe and comfortable accommodation for up to six families finding refuge in the UK.

We donated £25,000 to the DEC’s emergency appeal for the people affected by the devastating floods in Pakistan in 2022 and a further £25,000 to the appeal for those impacted by the earthquakes in Syria and Turkey in 2023.

Leeds Rhinos

Our partnership with Leeds Rhinos keeps us close to community roots in our home city.

Over 140 years ago a group of people got together and came up with a way for working people to buy their own homes, and with that Leeds Building Society was formed. Not long after, and in the same city, another group of people got together for a friendly game of rugby. And so Leeds Rhinos began.

Just like us, Leeds Rhinos have built a great history in Leeds - their record breaking eight time win of the Super League is really something to shout about. We also share a lot of the same values. Our partnership is a real testament to this, keeping us exactly where we want to be - at the heart of local communities.