The Brian Roycroft Fund

The Brian Roycroft Fund provides financial support to care leavers aged 18-25 from or living in Tyne & Wear and Northumberland to achieve their aspirations and ambitions as they start their future lives. Making the transition to adult life is especially difficult for young people leaving care who may not have enjoyed the stability of a settled family life or the support of their own family. Care leavers often have to cope with living independently at a young age and can face the future feeling vulnerable and alone. The fund was established at the Community Foundation during Brian Roycroft's lifetime to mark his outstanding contribution to social welfare. Brian Roycroft CBE made a unique contribution helping young people in local authority care for over 30 years and was one of the longest serving Directors of Social Services in the UK. Since 1998, more than 300 young people have received support from the fund. Requests are considered that enable care leavers to move into settled, safe accommodation; enter further or higher education; find satisfying employment or achieve good health and a positive sense of wellbeing. The grant request should be to meet exceptional or difficult costs. Grants have helped young people take driving lessons, publish poetry booklets, take forklift driving courses, and attend martial arts lessons. Applications are especially welcomed on behalf of disabled young people, unaccompanied asylum-seeking children and care leavers in the youth justice system. Grants are provided where there is evidence of hardship and no other alternatives for support. Applications must be made by statutory agencies or voluntary and community organisations on behalf of a care leaver, not by individuals directly. The fund operates on a rolling basis with panel meetings twice a year in April and October.