In Your Space Circus in Derry receives £5,000 Unity Impact Grant

Unity Trust Bank has awarded £5,000 to In Your Space Circus as part of its £50,000 Unity Impact Grants programme.

IYSC is a circus school and performance company which promotes good physical and mental health and personal development for people across Derry.

Nearly 200 grant applications were received this year from Unity customers and IYCS is one of 10 organisations that were chosen by a panel of judges.

IYCS provides opportunities for people of all ages and targets those with disabilities, and those experiencing economic disadvantage or social isolation.

It aims to make arts engagement accessible and bring joy to participants and audiences.

It also strives to educate and inspire young people and provide opportunities which encourage creative experimentation.

In 2024-2025, IYCS engaged nearly 10,000 participants, attracted audiences of more than 386,000 and provided paid opportunities for 150 artists.

The Unity grant will be used to support the CircAbility outreach project for children aged 5-17.

Cath McBride, Company Director at In Your Space Circus, said: “We are incredibly grateful for the generous support of Unity Trust Bank.

“Our CircAbility project uses circus and play to engage children with disabilities and neurodiverse conditions.

“This funding will allow us to reach more young people in special schools across the wider Derry–Londonderry area. It will offer joyful, confidence-building activities that support self-esteem and physical development.

“At a time when fundraising is increasingly challenging, particularly for arts organisations, this grant is a tremendous boost. It's a welcome affirmation of the value and impact of our work.”

The Unity Impact Grant programme is part of the bank’s employee-led ‘Unity & Me’ pillar. Unity & Me empowers staff to deliver positive outcomes for colleagues, communities and the planet.

As well as the £50,000 grants programme, Unity has also awarded £30,000 to good causes in 2025, through fundraising, volunteering and charitable donations.

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Joshua Meek, Chief Impact Officer at Unity Trust Bank, said: “We launched Unity Impact Grants last year to mark our 40th birthday and this year we doubled the amount of grant funding to £50,000.

“We were highly impressed by the quality of applications from our customers and we are proud to support the 10 successful applicants because they are all providing such vital services in their communities.

“As a social impact bank we are committed to delivering inclusive growth in communities across the UK, that's why the Impact Grants programme aims to support customers with funding they need.

“We will continue to build on this momentum to support our customers in making a positive difference.”

The other successful recipients of the Unity Impact Grant are Women’s Aid In Luton, Break The Silence, North Sea Conservation, Orange Bow CIC, Health Psychology Management Organisation Services, Green Futures Greater Grimsby, Birmingham Playcare Network, The Twisting Ducks Theatre Company and The Canley Community Centre.

For more information, visit www.unity.co.uk/delivering-impact/.