Northamptonshire building society hits £1 million milestone, backing foodbanks, young people and community hubs
A building society with branches in Northamptonshire has committed £1 million to local causes over the past three years, with funds already delivered and further investment held in its Charitable Foundation to support future projects.
A spokesperson for Market Harborough Building Society described the milestone as evidence of how the Society’s Thrive! Agenda has progressed from isolated acts of charity into “a clear, long-term commitment” embedded in the mutual’s day-to-day operations. The programme began after a period of reflection three years ago and launched publicly in January 2023 with a £100,000 donation to regional foodbanks, the spokesperson added.
Thrive! has since expanded to include Thrive Forward, a programme supporting financial resilience, mental wellbeing and employability for young people. The Society is currently supporting more than 1,300 young people through the scheme, the spokesperson confirmed. Over the last year Newcombe House hosted over 5,000 visitors to community activities, and the Society has aided more than 300 local groups via volunteering, hub space and funding, they said.
Other practical support cited by the spokesperson includes installing a OneBanx machine in Market Harborough to restore banking access, opening the head office to community use, and partnering with Leicester & Rutland Community Foundation to back grassroots organisations.
“Reaching £1 million is something we are incredibly proud of, but it is not about the number,” a society spokesperson said, adding that the mutual’s success is shared and feeds back into helping customers and communities thrive.