St Peter’s Partnerships, was founded as a charity by community residents in 1998, to address challenges and improve opportunities for local children, young people and adults.

 

Since it’s beginning, the charity has worked at grass roots level to ensure that the hopes and aspirations of local people are recognised and nurtured, especially for those facing additional challenges.  

 

We have successfully worked with local communities to deliver a wide range of grant funded projects and government led initiatives during the past 20 years, as well as undertaking commissioned work in partnership with statutory partners and stakeholders.

 

One of our major achievements has been the development of a trading arm, which, as a Social Enterprise generates income that is pumped back into services. It also creates training and employment opportunities for local people.

 

Greenscape, our first Social Enterprise has been changing lives and places since 2003 through it’s commitment to social justice and environmental services.

 

More recently, we have also established our pre-school nursery and a pop up creche service as part of our school readiness work and to help us become more sustainable.

 

Over the past few years, the charity, like many others, has experienced the financial impact of cuts and reduced funding. We have streamlined and adapted to overcome challenges by making positive changes, whilst preserving our community centred ethos and values.

 

In 2014, we purchased a community building and with the support of local people and corporate sponsors, we developed The LEAP Centre to create a welcoming hub, from where we could deliver accessible services, particularly for children and families.

 

Our new name LEAP summarises the long standing work of the organisation of improving outcomes for children and adults through Learning, Empowerment and Participation. We have never believed in a “one size fits all” model and we continue to shape and deliver our services around the needs and strengths of the children and adults that we support.

 

So there it is! A whistle stop tour of how and why St Peter’s Partnerships was created, how it grew to become a significant anchor organisation, it’s re-structure to becoming more streamlined and an overview of where we are now, as LEAP.  

 

It has been the commitment of local people, staff - past and present, volunteers, founders, partners and Trustees that has sustained the organisation and shaped it to what it is today.

 

Together, we continue to strive for better and achieve more.

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