Powering community-led prevention – a new chapter for the Live Well Communities Fund and Greater Manchester
Business leaders joined senior leads from the GMCA, Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise sector (VCFSE) and Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity to launch a new chapter for Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity in the fight against homelessness.
Last night, 21 January 2026, senior figures from the Greater Manchester business world came together to support the launch of a new chapter for Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity in their fight against homelessness.
Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity launched with their flagship programme, A Bed Every Night. This is a collaborative partnership across Greater Manchester including the GMCA, local authorities, and the VCFSE sector. It provides a vital emergency response for people who may otherwise face a night on the streets, and is the start of a journey away from homelessness.
Since this scheme launched, the Charity have evolved their grant-making, complementing the emergency response and support to A Bed Every Night through grants worth over £1 million to organisations working directly with people at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
But as the challenges develop, so does the response. Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity’s bold next step is to support organisations and initiatives working with communities as well as individuals to turbocharge progress to a city-region where everyone has a safe, genuinely affordable place to call home and everyone can flourish and thrive.
In collaboration with the VCFSE sector of Greater Manchester, 10GM, the GMCA and NHS GM, Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity are powering the Live Well Communities Fund and helping the partners to grow the success of the first year of the Fund.
The launch event celebrated the impact of projects and initiatives delivered in the first 12 months of the Live Well Communities Fund, and showcased to businesses just how important a collective commitment to flourishing communities is for inclusive growth and a thriving Greater Manchester.
Guests heard from a panel that included:
· Dr Fran Darlington-Pollock, CEO, Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity
· Warren Heppolette, Director: Prevention Demonstrator, Greater Manchester Combined Authority
· Jane Forrest, Executive Director Public Service Reform, Greater Manchester Combined Authority
· Tim Heatley, Co-Founder, Capital & Centric and Chair of Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity
· Liz Windsor-Welsh, CEO, Action Together and Director of 10GM
Image: Panel speakers (left to right): Liz Windsor-Welsh, Warren Heppolette, Fran Darlington-Pollock, Jane Forrest, Tim Heatley, Ilona Alcock
Over the first pilot year, an initial £1 million of seed funding enabled hundreds of grassroots organisations to receive support for their brilliant work - benefitting over 10,000 Greater Manchester residents of all ages. Most radically, communities themselves were in charge - over 1,500 local people had a direct say in deciding how the grants were allocated.
Year 2 of the Live Well Communities Fund begins with further seed funding from NHS GM and the GMCA of £1 million. Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity invites the region to get behind this seed funding and grow the pot – your donations will make a huge different to the people of Greater Manchester and play a significant role in the prevention of homelessness, and the thriving of communities.
Ahead of the event, Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham said:
“Live Well is our city-region wide commitment to making great everyday support available in every neighbourhood. People and communities themselves are at the heart of it, and their role in taking action and supporting each other is absolutely crucial to tackling inequalities.
Public services will play their part, but it will take all of us to help everyone Live Well. I am very pleased to see the business world, as well as other charitable donors, support our communities directly through the Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity.”
Tim Heatley, Chair of Greater Manchester Mayor’s Charity and co-founder of Capital & Centric, said:
“Homelessness has no place in Greater Manchester. Thanks to the generosity of people and businesses across our city-region, we are already making a real difference to those at risk of or experiencing homelessness.
But we can go further. By working earlier to prevent homelessness, we can help more people flourish and thrive. This new collaboration marks a powerful step forward. From A Bed Every Night to Live Well, we are building a continuum of support that is changing lives.
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But we can go further. By working earlier to prevent homelessness, we can help more people flourish and thrive. This new collaboration marks a powerful step forward. From A Bed Every Night to Live Well, we are building a continuum of support that is changing lives”
You can make a donation here: Greater Manchester Mayor's Charity | Donate Now or get in touch with the team to find out how to get involved.
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