30th April 2025
Community Stars supports local non-profits and we're excited to award the winners of our first Community Stars fund of 2025.
As a mutual Building Society, we are responsible for giving back to the community we serve. We do this by supporting local charities and not-for-profits that do important work in and in Greater Manchester and Cheshire. That's why Community Stars exists: to celebrate and fund the non-profits that bring our community together. Here are the awardees for the first round of 2025...
Chatty Wednesday meet once a week throughout the year to bring together people from the local community. During the time of Covid-19, they found that there were many local people living alone and that there weren't many local groups within walking distance of their community hall. The local community are able to get to Chatty Wednesday easily and they offer a lunch once a month, refreshments each week and are open as a drop-in for people to visit
Offerton Trefoil Guild is a place to find friendship, to get involved in new challenges, or get active in the community. They are a place to give support and find comfort and have a network of members. The group is open to all ladies in Stockport whether or not they have been guiding. At present Offerton Trefoil Guild have 14 members aged between 50 - 90 and are aiming to increase their membership to 25, so they can help more people in the community.
The Beautiful Minds - Embracing Ageing group organises a bi-weekly coffee morning to provide emotional support to elderly people (aged 60 and over); who are lonely and/or looking to connect or network with others within the community. The group aims to combat loneliness and reduce isolation among seniors to improve their lives, by providing free social activities, refreshments and chair-based exercise classes. The group has grown and attracted more people and developed further activities, such as free beauty treatments from local college students, local walks and exercise sessions.
Find out more here
The Resilient Kid operates as a community-focused mental health and well-being organisation dedicated to supporting children aged 4-12, particularly those from underrepresented and disadvantaged backgrounds. Through evidence-based resilience programs, they provide early intervention support to help children develop emotional regulation, confidence, and coping skills. The organisation offers tailored support for children struggling with anxiety, low confidence, and emotional well-being. They also offer school and community partnerships – working with schools, local councils, and community groups to offer accessible mental health support. They run workshops for parents and caregivers – equipping families with strategies to support children's emotional well-being at home, as well as much more.
Find out more here.
Open Hands' role is transporting elderly, disabled and vulnerable local members of the community to medical appointments at hospitals, clinics, doctors, dentists or visiting loved ones in nursing homes or hospitals. Open hands have been an active community project in Poynton for over 35 years and has become an invaluable service to a lot of their local community.
Find out more here.
Vernon Park Veterans Bowling Club are a veterans bowling club, consisting of 54 members both male and female, 60 and over. They play in 3 different afternoon leagues: Stockport Veterans league, Cheadle & Gatley league, and Stockport & District league. Vernon Park Veterans Bowling Club host league and county matches, league knockouts, and charity fund raising events. Bowling helps with fitness and well-being, getting people out of their homes and socialising with like-minded people.
Find out more here.
Stockport Community Shed provides an opportunity for friendship, social engagement and skill sharing to the community and for those at risk of social isolation. It fosters a safe and enjoyable environment, in which members can meet and carry out creative projects of their own choosing; individually, jointly and for the benefit of the wider community.
Find out more here.
Transforming Lives Group CIC are a Bolton-based non-profit organisation, supporting local people with experiences of substance misuse, homelessness, mental health challenges and social exclusion. They support approximately 700 people by providing daily social and sporting activities that enhance mental and physical well-being, foster social connections and help people to get their lives back on track. They strive to provide wraparound support, offering mentorship, peer support, signposting to specialist agencies and advice.
Find out more here.
Marple Youth Project CIC are a youth club for 11-16 year olds with special educational and additional needs. They offer outings, sport activities and art and craft sessions. They aim to take children on experiences that they might not have been able to try before, whilst supporting local Marple businesses.
Find out more here.
ReMade is a charity offering creative peer support to women in the Wigan and Leigh area. They do this through free-to-access furniture and textile upcycling activities, which bring together women of all ages, backgrounds and situations, whilst they support one another to feel stronger and more capable. Alongside those creative activities, they have a self esteem group, support for complex needs, skills development, career advice, signposting to abuse services, practical support with food and furniture poverty. They also facilitate the Wigan, Leigh and Makerfield Women's Network .
Find out more here.
St Elisabeth's Reddish provides many services for the community such as S.M.I.L.E (seated exercise class for older people), A place of welcome (free raffle, chat and fun over tea/coffee/toast) and the Re:Dish charity, and associated initiatives. It also runs an annual summer fair for the community with a range of activities.
Find out more here.
Bolton Lever Rotary Club is involved in raising funds and helping various causes, which involves organising trips and bringing people together for social events. The club has grown to become a modern, vibrant organisation with active members meeting regularly to coordinate projects and serve the local community.
Find out more here.
Shaw Heath Bees FC is deeply committed to making a positive impact in the community. Beyond football, the club promotes inclusivity, teamwork, and personal development for people of all ages and backgrounds. They run free weekly special educational needs sessions for children in conjunction with Autisk. They also support mental health initiatives with fundraising throughout the year for Andys Man Club. They provide a safe, welcoming environment where individuals can build confidence, stay active, and connect with others.
Find out more here.
Rochdale Connections Trust was founded in 1997 by a group of local Youth Magistrates, concerned by the number of young people coming before the courts who were disengaged from education, with little or no family support. They were keen to provide an intervention that would take the young people on a different path, away from crime, and so they introduced a mentoring service to achieve this aim. Over 25 years later, the organisation has grown considerably and is deeply embedded in the local communities. They work with vulnerable, disadvantaged and marginalised young people and adults, with a range of complex barriers to engagement. By knowing their community, understanding the complexity of the issues they face, and evolving as an organisation, they have become Rochdale’s leading independant provider of family fupport, targeted youth support and domestic abuse services, offering support and interventions for those deemed to be at risk.
Find out more here.
Keep your eyes peeled for application details for our next round of Community Stars, coming very soon!