Redcar and Cleveland

This work is a collaboration between Lloyds Bank Foundation for England and Wales and local organisations, groups and people within the community of Redcar and Cleveland. At the Foundation, we want to help create sustainable change within communities, and for this work to ultimately be completely locally owned. Throughout this page, the use of ‘we’ refers to the partnership working between the Foundation and the local community in developing this work so far.  

How we got here

When the Foundation first began conversations in Redcar and Cleveland there was a clear appetite for change evident from the number of initiatives that were aiming to make change locally. This included a new approach to commissioning and providing services to people affected by domestic abuse, addiction and homelessness. The area is also part of LARCH (Local Access Redcar and Cleveland and Hartlepool) which is working to strengthen and generate the local social economy and potential for social investment. Since 2022, the Foundation has led a series of facilitated sessions in Redcar and Cleveland, bringing together local people, groups and representatives from across the public, private and voluntary sectors to discuss what change they want to see in their community and commit to collaborating on a shared vision.

A once mighty industrial area with a proud heritage, Redcar and Cleveland has seen significant decline in steel manufacture and chemical plants. This has made it harder for people to find full-time and/or well-paid employment and contributed to significant social problems and high rates of poverty in some areas. Even people in full time employment are experiencing financial insecurity, especially in rural areas. In recent years, the disparity between wages and the rising cost of living has left people in work relying on emergency support services and food banks. The local group identified this as a significant concern and decided to focus on developing sustainable solutions to in-work poverty in rural areas of the borough.

The vision

We want people in the rural areas of Redcar and Cleveland to be able to thrive, with access to suitable and fulfilling employment that enables them to be financially secure and independent.

Who is involved

Led in partnership with Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council, more than 100 local people have been involved with our work in the area to date. We are partnering with many organisations and groups from the voluntary and community sector, along with representatives from public health, other funders, Teesside University, local social enterprises and social housing providers.

Our core partners in this work are:
• Redcar and Cleveland Voluntary Development Agency
• Footprints in the Community
• The Junction
• North East Wellbeing
• Tees Valley Rural Action
• Woodsmith Foundation
• Future Regeneration of Grangetown
• Changing Futures
• You’ve Got This
• Beyond Housing
• South Tees Public Health
• Teesside Resilience Forum

Progress so far

At the beginning of 2024, local partners and people came together to map out the root causes of in-work poverty. Our next step is to examine these interconnecting factors and identify the ones we feel we can tackle together to have the most impact. This will be the starting point of collaboratively redesigning services to ensure people get the support they need to be in employment and thrive.

Get involved

If you’d like to find out more about our work in Redcar and Cleveland, or you’d like to get involved, please email Jo Woodward at
jwoodward@lloydsbankfoundation.org.uk.