Eleven charities from across the North East have benefited from a share of more than £1 million through the Building Digital Skills Fund from Virgin Money Foundation.
Now in its third year, the fund helps community groups and charities in the North East and Glasgow to tackle digital inequality by building skills and confidence, improving access to affordable data and broadband and providing essential equipment such as smart phones and WiFi enabled devices.
The newest round of grants, totalling £1,039,279, takes the overall amount Virgin Money Foundation has donated to organisations in the North East since 2024, when the fund was launched, to £2.3million.
Among the latest charities in the region to receive support are 700 Club in Darlington, ELCAP in Easington Lane, Family Gateway in Wallsend, The Angelou Centre in Fenham, Footprints in the Community in Redcar and The Big League CIC in Hartlepool. The Lighthouse Project, Riverside Community Health Project and West End Women and Girls Centre, all based in Newcastle, will also receive funding alongside Sunderland Bangladeshi International Centre and Back on the Map based in Sunderland.
This comes as regional and national evidence continues to show that digital exclusion remains a significant barrier for many communities. Research for the North East Evidence Hub1 highlights how lack of digital skills, connectivity and access can affect people’s ability to participate in education, training and employment. In addition, the Government’s 2026 Digital Inclusion Action Plan2 progress report states that 1.6 million people in the UK still have no internet connection at all.
Nancy Doyle-Hall, executive director at Virgin Money Foundation said: “Without regular access to the internet and digital devices people are cut off from accessing vital everyday services that many of us rely on without thinking. Through these grants we want to help more people gain the skills, confidence and access they need to get online safely, use essential services and make the most of the opportunities digital connection can bring. We are proud to support these local organisations that are working hard to help tackle digital exclusion across the North East.”
Since 2015, the Virgin Money Foundation has awarded over £18 million to local charities working to create positive change in their community. It invests in neighbourhood level organisations – those that know their community best and what is needed to tackle the issues that hold them back. Funding has been targeted at communities located in the top 20% of the Index of Multiple Deprivation and focused upon the North East of England and the City of Glasgow.
To learn more about the Virgin Money Foundation, visit: Virgin Money Foundation
Details of the charities and grants awarded
| Organisation Name | Address | Grant Amount | Purpose of grant | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 700 Club Link opens in a new window | Beaumont House Beaumont Street West, Darlington DL1 5SX | £82,019 | The grant will support the 700 Club to embed digital inclusion as a core life skill across all its homelessness services by funding a specialist Digital Support Worker, purchasing devices and data, training and upskilling the wider staff team so digital support becomes a permanent part of personalised, holistic support. | |
| ELCAP Link opens in a new window | Brickgarth, Easington Lane, Houghton-le-Spring, Tyne & Wear, DH5 0LE | £99,444 | Easington Lane Community Access Point will employ a Digital Inclusion Lead and upgrade IT equipment to deliver one‑to‑one and group digital support, provide devices and data, and train ‘Digital Buddies’ (including local primary school pupils) to help digitally excluded residents get online. | |
| Family Gateway Link opens in a new window | Howdon Hub, Denbigh Avenue, Wallsend, NE28 0PP | £84,575 | Family Gateway, which has a focus on child poverty, supports vulnerable families through its community hub and Barefoot Professional model. The grant is to fund staff time, equipment and core costs to deliver a digital project, including a digital café, homework clubs and training local Digital Champions to tackle digital exclusion among children, families and older people. | |
| The Lighthouse Project Link opens in a new window | Saint Michael’s Mount, Newcastle upon Tyne NE6 2FT | £100,000 | This is a Byker‑based community charity, delivering youth, family and community support from a new purpose‑built centre on the Byker Wall Estate. It will run digital literacy workshops for parents and young people, a digital lending library, purchase specialist equipment and develop partnerships with local tech employers to improve digital inclusion and employability for local residents. | |
| The Angelou Centre Link opens in a new window | The Angelou Centre, 17 Brighton Grove, Fenham, NE4 5NS | £92,754 | The Angelou Centre is a black‑led charity supporting black and racialised women and children affected by violence and abuse. It will deliver a digital inclusion programme for women, building digital skills and confidence through group training, one‑to‑one support, real‑life digital practice, and access to devices and data. It will also provide support on digital safety. | |
| Back on the Map Link opens in a new window | Carnegie Community Corner, 67 Toward Rd, Sunderland, SR2 8JG | £95,525 | Back on the Map is a long‑established community anchor in Hendon, Sunderland. The grant will fund staff time and related costs to sustain and expand its existing digital inclusion programme; providing devices, connectivity, skills training and one‑to‑one support for residents most affected by digital and financial exclusion | |
| Footprints in the Community Link opens in a new window | 10 Queen Street, Redcar, TS10 1DY | £100,000 | Footprints in the Community is a Redcar‑based community anchor tackling poverty and isolation through food banks and wrap‑around support. The grant will fund a part‑time Digital Inclusion Worker who will support food bank clients to access devices, build digital skills and improve financial resilience by completing essential online tasks and maximising income. | |
| Riverside Community Health Project Link opens in a new window | Carnegie Building, Atkinson Road, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, NE4 8XS | £99,527 | A long‑established community anchor in Benwell supporting families and residents facing poverty and health inequalities including a large Roma community. The grant will embed everyday digital support across its services, including staff‑led digital coaching, multilingual support for migrant communities, a device loan bank and digital drop‑ins to reduce digital exclusion. | |
| The Big League CIC Link opens in a new window | Bovis House, Victoria Road, Hartlepool, TS24 7SE | £94,595 | The Big League is a CIC in Hartlepool. The grant will fund a three‑year programme tackling digital exclusion through one‑to‑one support, workshops, a digital lending library, IT suite and charging stations and expanded staff capacity to help local residents access essential online services. | |
| West End Women and Girls Centre Link opens in a new window | 173 Elswick Rd, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE4 6SQ | £99,940 | This is a community‑based women and girls’ organisation in Newcastle. The grant will employ a multi-lingual, women’s digital worker to deliver open‑access and one‑to‑one digital support including safe online access, skills training and integration into the Safe4Life domestic violence programme. | |
| Sunderland Bangladeshi International Centre Link opens in a new window | 30 Tatham Street, Hendon, Sunderland, SR1 2QD | £90,900 | Sunderland BIC supports Bangladeshi and wider ethnic minority communities in Sunderland. The grant will employ a part‑time Digital Inclusion Development Worker (with sessional support) to deliver digital inclusion and skills training, drop‑ins and community activities for people experiencing racial inequity. | |
| Total | £1,039,279 |
Source
1The North East Evidence Hub Link opens in a new window report, Digital Exclusion in the North East LEP Area, highlights the impact digital exclusion in the North East has on people’s ability to access education, skills and employment. The page was last updated on 11 February 2025.
2The GOV.UK Link opens in a new window Digital Inclusion Action Plan: One Year On progress report, published on 24 March 2026.