Park Lane Foundation

Charity Number: 1101559

Annual Expenditure: £0.5M

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Quick Stats

  • Registered Charity Number: 1101559
  • Annual Giving: £491,698 (2024)
  • Grant Range: Varies by program - from in-kind donations to multi-year commitments
  • Geographic Focus: Leeds and West Yorkshire (primary), with international projects in Malawi
  • Application Method: No public application process - trustee discretion
  • Accepts Unsolicited Applications: No

Contact Details

Address: 25-27 Otley Road, Leeds, LS6 3AA

Phone: 0113 230 4949

Email: info@theparklanegroup.com

Website: https://theparklanegroup.com/foundation/ and https://www.parklanefoundation.org/

Overview

The Park Lane Foundation (established 2003, registered 2004) is the philanthropic arm of the Park Lane Group, a Leeds-based leisure, development and property company. The foundation operates with a broad charitable remit to apply income and capital “to or for the benefit of such exclusively charitable objects and purposes in any part of the world as the trustees shall think fit.” With an annual expenditure of approximately £491,698 (year ending September 2024), the foundation supports diverse causes through direct grants, in-kind donations, and multi-year partnerships. All administrative costs are covered by the Park Lane Group, ensuring 100% of funds raised go directly to charitable causes. The foundation received recognition in January 2024 when founders Mr and Mrs Nazir Ahmed were honored with a Civic Reception by Leeds City Council for their outstanding contribution to the city. In 2024, the foundation raised approximately £90,000 and has pledged £250,000 over five years for international projects.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Park Lane Foundation does not operate open grant programs with public application processes. Instead, the foundation's trustees select charities annually and through ongoing discretionary decisions. Their support takes multiple forms:

  • Annual Charity Partners: Selected charities receive year-long fundraising support and direct donations
  • In-Kind Donations: Hotel rooms (through Roomzzz Aparthotels), facilities access, and supplies
  • Direct Project Grants: Specific project funding (e.g., £4,000 for classroom construction in Malawi)
  • Multi-Year Commitments: Long-term patronage and support relationships
  • Matched Funding: Employee fundraising is often matched or supported

Recent financial support has included £45,000 raised through Roomzzz Charity Week in 2024, £56,173 in 2025, and £25,000 for Young Lives vs Cancer in 2021/22.

Priority Areas

The foundation's charitable support focuses on:

Health & Medical Support

  • Children's health and cancer charities (Candlelighters, Young Lives vs Cancer)
  • Dementia and Alzheimer's support (Alzheimer's Society, Dementia UK)
  • Hospital charities (Leeds Hospitals Charity, Children's Heart Surgery Fund at Leeds General Infirmary)
  • Mental health (Young Minds)
  • Children's hospice care (Martin House Hospice)

Homelessness & Social Welfare

  • Homelessness support (Crisis, St George's Crypt, Simon on the Streets)
  • Addiction recovery (Getting Clean, Recovery Runners)

Education & Youth Development

  • Scholarships and bursaries for underprivileged students and refugees (through Leeds universities and Leeds Grammar School)
  • Youth development (The Prince's Trust - became patrons in 2017)
  • Education access programs

International Development

  • Housing projects in Malawi
  • Clean water initiatives serving thousands in Malawian villages
  • Classroom construction (Zikomo Trust)

Community & Sports

  • Junior golf memberships and professional lessons through Leeds Golf Centre
  • Sports facility development (three-year support for Park Avenue cricket ground redevelopment in Bradford)
  • Community programs through Love.golf for underrepresented communities

Emergency Response

  • Provided 2,500+ complimentary room nights to NHS workers during the COVID-19 pandemic

What They Don't Fund

Based on their documented giving patterns, the foundation does not appear to support:

  • Organizations outside their selected annual focus areas
  • General operating costs without strategic partnership
  • Individual applications from organizations not already on their radar
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Governance and Leadership

The foundation is governed by 6 trustees who receive no remuneration, payments, or benefits. The trustee board includes members of the Ahmed family:

  • Mr Naveen Ahmed (Managing Director of The Parklane Group)
  • Mr Nazir Ahmed (Founder)
  • Mrs Razia Ahmed
  • Mr Sameer Ahmed
  • Mr Nadeem Ahmed

Leadership Recognition: Naveen Ahmed was recognized at the Institute of Directors (IoD) awards, winning the title for Family Business Director of the Year. Mr and Mrs Nazir Ahmed were honored with a Civic Reception by Leeds City Council in January 2024 for their outstanding contribution to Leeds through both The Parklane Group and The Parklane Foundation.

The Ahmed family moved to the UK from Malawi in 1976, which influences the foundation's continued commitment to charitable work in Malawi.

Application Process and Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

The Park Lane Foundation operates through trustee discretion, with the governing document stating that donations are made “to charities agreed upon by the trustees.” Grants are made to both individuals and organizations, but these are selected by the trustees rather than through an open application process.

The foundation's grant-making follows these patterns:

  • Annual selection of “Charity of the Year” partners (typically 2-3 organizations with a thematic focus)
  • Trustee-initiated grants for specific projects
  • Partnership relationships developed through The Parklane Group's business connections
  • Pre-existing relationships with educational institutions in Leeds
  • Community connections through the foundation's various business interests

Getting on Their Radar

The Prince's Trust Patronage: The foundation became patrons of The Prince's Trust in summer 2017, suggesting they respond to structured partnership opportunities with established national charities.

Educational Institution Partnerships: The foundation has established relationships with Leeds universities and Leeds Grammar School for scholarship programs, indicating they value institutional partnerships with local educational organizations.

Thematic Annual Focus: The foundation selects an annual focus area (e.g., homelessness in 2024, dementia in 2022/23, addiction recovery in 2024/25), and charities working in the chosen area become charity partners for that year.

Corporate Connections: As the charitable arm of The Parklane Group (leisure, development, and property), the foundation may be more accessible to organizations connected to these business sectors or that operate in areas where The Parklane Group has facilities.

Leeds Community Presence: The foundation's giving strongly favors Leeds-based charities and those serving the Leeds community, suggesting local presence and impact in Leeds increases likelihood of support.

Decision Timeline

No public information available on decision timelines, as there is no public application process.

Success Rates

Not applicable - no public application process.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - no public application process.

Application Success Factors

While there is no public application process, analysis of the foundation's giving patterns reveals what attracts their support:

Geographic Connection to Leeds: The foundation shows strong preference for Leeds-based charities or those serving the Leeds community. Even when supporting national charities like Crisis, there is often a local connection (e.g., Crisis receiving support through free rooms at the London Stratford Roomzzz hotel).

Annual Thematic Focus: The foundation selects themes for each year (homelessness, dementia, addiction recovery, youth mental health) and concentrates support on 2-3 charities aligned with that theme. Organizations working in trending social issues or areas of current public concern may align with future themes.

Measurable Local Impact: The foundation's documented grants show preference for projects with tangible outcomes - clean water for specific villages in Malawi, construction of classrooms, room nights for NHS workers, scholarships for named students.

Multi-Stakeholder Engagement: Successful partnerships involve multiple forms of support beyond cash grants, including staff fundraising events (The Apprentice Challenge raising £6,000), in-kind donations (100 complimentary room nights to Candlelighters), and facility access.

Connection to Founder Values: The family's Malawian heritage directly influences international giving. The foundation's patronage of The Prince's Trust and support for educational access reflects values around youth opportunity and social mobility.

Established Organizational Credibility: All documented charity partners are registered charities with established track records - the foundation supports recognized organizations rather than start-ups or informal community groups.

Corporate Partnership Opportunities: Organizations that can engage with The Parklane Group's business operations (hotels, leisure facilities, property developments) may find more opportunities for relationship building.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • This is a private foundation with no public application process - relationship building and connections are essential to receiving support
  • Local Leeds charities have significant advantage - the foundation shows strong preference for organizations serving the Leeds community
  • Annual themes drive significant funding - understanding the foundation's annual charitable focus could indicate alignment opportunities
  • Multi-year relationships are valued - The Prince's Trust patronage (since 2017) and three-year cricket ground support demonstrate preference for sustained partnerships over one-off grants
  • In-kind donations are substantial - organizations able to utilize hotel rooms, sports facilities, or other Parklane Group assets may find alternative forms of support
  • All admin costs covered by parent company - 100% of fundraising goes to charitable causes, which may influence the foundation's appeal to potential individual donors and partners
  • Family values and heritage influence giving - understanding the Ahmed family's journey from Malawi and their commitment to education and social mobility provides insight into funding priorities

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