For 95 years, St George’s Crypt has provided care and support to people who are homeless and vulnerable in and around Leeds. With compassion at its core, the charity offers vital services including hot meals, emergency accommodation, clean clothing, and access to healthcare. It also supports long-term recovery and reintegration by providing training, developing employability and life skills, and assisting individuals in finding stable housing. This approach offers immediate relief as well as the chance to rebuild.
To support the charity’s mission, the Leeds-based creative agency launched a crowdfunded print sale, featuring bespoke artwork designed by its in-house design team. The artwork included photographs of iconic local buildings, the Yorkshire slang ‘be reyt’, and a vibrant print of the Leeds Canal.
Every penny raised through the 29 print sales went directly to St George’s Crypt, resulting in a donation of £555.
With an estimated 385 people currently sleeping rough in Leeds, the donation will directly contribute to support services at the Crypt - helping to fund essential supplies, meals, clothing. The money will also go towards funding development programmes that offer people the practical life skills, structure and confidence they need to get back on their feet.
The donation comes as part of ilk’s Goodilk initiative, which was launched in celebration of the agency’s 25th anniversary last November. Designed to support a new charity each quarter, Goodilk brings together staff-led charitable efforts and community engagement projects that reflect the agency’s values and creative spirit. Since its launch last year, the agency has supported Macmillan Cancer Support with a 10k run raising money for the charity, offered pro-bono SEO services to St Leonard’s Hospice and collected donations for PAFRAS supporting refugees in Leeds.
Richard Leavis, Corporate Fundraiser at St George’s Crypt, commented: “We’re incredibly thankful to the team at ilk Agency for their thoughtful and creative fundraising initiative.
“This donation will go directly towards helping some of the most vulnerable people in Leeds, providing them with the basic necessities and support needed to take the next step towards stability. Every contribution helps us to continue offering not just practical help, but a pathway to hope and long-term change.”
Nev Ridley, Managing Director at ilk Agency, added: “Celebrating 25 years of ilk last November gave us a perfect opportunity to kickstart our Goodilk initiative, giving back to the city that we’re proud to have called our home for so many years.
“Our donation to St George’s Crypt is part of this, and was a great way for us to use our creativity and resources to support local causes that truly matter. The Crypt plays a vital role in supporting vulnerable people across Leeds, and we’re proud to contribute to the incredible work they do every day.”
Based in the heart of Leeds, ilk Agency delivers integrated marketing services across branding, design, digital, PR, social and paid media. Explore their latest work at ilk.agency or follow @ilkagency on Instagram, LinkedIn, and Twitter to stay connected.