Rock in £2m donation to charities

The charitable arm of Northern Rock has given more than £2m to organisations in the north-east of England and Cumbria.

The Northern Rock Foundation said 23 organisations would benefit from its latest round of donations.

Those to benefit include a rape crisis centre in Cumbria, a parents' centre in Sunderland and asylum seeker projects in Newcastle and Stockton-on-Tees.

The latest grants bring the 2008 figure to £5.1m so far, with a further £6m likely before the end of the year.

'Huge difference'

The foundation, which is run independently of the bank and has its own board of trustees, was set up when Northern Rock converted into a plc from a mutual in 1997.

The majority of the funding will go towards helping disadvantaged groups including older people, carers, disaffected young people and victims of violence and abuse.

Foundation chairman Alastair Balls, said: "The trustees are delighted to announce these latest awards.

"The organisations we are funding are using their knowledge and expertise to make a huge difference to the lives of disadvantaged people and communities.

"Meanwhile, our newly revived culture fund will promote our area's creative talent, and bring the benefits of the foundation's investments to a wider public, who enjoy the vast array of arts and heritage programmes the North East and Cumbria have to offer."