The Rank Foundation reaches Plymouth

The Rank Foundation is embarking on a £1.5m investment in the city of Plymouth.

Known as Britain’s Ocean City, Plymouth is home to 260,000 residents in addition to the 22,000 students at the university.  It has a rich history and a vibrant marine and maritime economy, however its unemployment rate is higher than the national average and the NHS records indicate high levels of poverty and deprivation. More than a quarter of Plymothians are amongst the poorest 20% in the UK.

With our previous and ongoing work in Hull and Dundee, the Foundation is enthusiastic about working with the latest addition to our Place-Based programmes. The Foundation has identified a collaborative energy in Plymouth which, with investment in the city and the people, has much potential to produce and nurture similar relationships and successes to Hull and Dundee.

We will be working with two strategic partners, the Real Ideas Organisation (RIO) and the School of Social Entrepreneurs (SSE), who will help to drive the RISE (Rank Inclusive growth Social Enterprise) programme in Plymouth. We have also appointed Phil Davies (who was previously Principal at City College Plymouth) as our local associate and Rank representative.

Visit our latest Place-Based webpage here to read more about our investment in Plymouth, and get to know the participating projects.