Barnet Community Projects won £13,098 from the Asda Foundation for new facilities, one of 73 groups picked from 749 bids for the Local Community Spaces Fund.
Barnet Community Projects has been awarded £13,098 by the Asda Foundation to install new facilities at its site, one of 73 organisations across the UK to win money from the charity’s Local Community Spaces Fund this year.
The grant was presented at Asda’s Southgate Circus store on Chase Side, where the presentation cheque is dated Tuesday 6 October 2026. The store sent us the announcement and the photographs.
What the money is for
Asda says the £13,098 will pay for Barnet Community Projects “to install new facilities they offer at the site”. The announcement does not list the facilities or say when they will be in place.
Steve Verrall, a director of Barnet Community Projects, said:
“We are absolutely delighted to receive this funding from the Asda Foundation. The grant will enable us to reach more people in need and provide more services for them. This investment will make a real difference to our users and help us to continue supporting our local community for years to come.”
He also praised the way the grant was handled: “The whole process including the timescale for the decision and receipt of the funding was all managed brilliantly with the utmost diligence and efficiency.”
One of 73 from 749 bids
The Local Community Spaces Fund handed out more than £1 million this year to 73 projects, chosen from 749 applications made by organisations across the UK, according to the foundation. That is roughly one bid in ten.
The foundation says this is the last year of a five-year commitment to community buildings, and that it has put more than £5 million into projects that “create, improve and maintain vital community facilities” since 2022. This year’s awards went to groups carrying out improvements, repairs and accessibility work.
It also quotes its own survey of the groups it has funded, the Community Insight Tracker: 79% said community spaces help reduce isolation, 77% said they help build social connections and 76% said they give people of all ages a safe place to go.
Karl Doyle, chair of the Asda Foundation, said:
“Strong communities need safe and strong spaces. Whether it’s somewhere people can access advice, take part in activities, develop new skills or simply spend time with others, community venues play a vital role in everyday life.
“We’re delighted to support 73 organisations this year through the Local Community Spaces Fund. These projects will help improve accessibility, protect important local facilities and create welcoming environments where people can come together, feel connected and access the support they need.”
The store that put the group forward
Sejal Shah, community and customer champion at Asda Southgate, said:
“We’re incredibly proud to see Barnet Community Projects receive this funding through the Asda Foundation’s Local Community Spaces Fund. The organisation does fantastic work in our community and this investment will help ensure even more local people can benefit from their services and facilities.
“They work incredibly hard and deliver such valuable services across our local community, and we are delighted that this funding will help them continue their amazing work and make an even greater difference to local residents. We wish Steve and the whole Barnet Community Projects team every success with the project and all the fantastic work they continue to do supporting our community.”
The Asda Foundation is an independent charity funded by an annual donation from Asda Stores Ltd, and gives grants to grassroots groups. More about its programmes is on the Asda Foundation website.
What it means for you
If you use Barnet Community Projects, Mr Verrall says the grant will let the group reach more people and offer more services. The announcement does not yet say which facilities are coming or when; we will add that here when the group publishes it.
If you run a community group in Barnet and are looking for funding, the Brent Cross Town community fund is open to Barnet projects, with grants of £3,000 to £10,000, but applications close on Monday 26 October.
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