North Yorkshire housebuilder supports community and homelessness charity with £3,000 donation
Barratt and David Wilson Homes has donated £3,000 to Chocolate & Co, a permanent community café and charity in York supporting people facing homelessness, addiction and barriers to employment.
Chocolate & Co was established in 2024, although its work began several years earlier following the loss of two close friends to addiction during lockdown. A mother and daughter recognised that both friends had spoken about the importance of purpose, community and supportive employment in recovery, and felt something needed to change.
The charity’s mission is to create opportunities for people who often feel excluded from society, helping them rebuild confidence, stability and self-worth through paid employment, volunteering opportunities and holistic support.
Alongside employment, it supports individuals to attend appointments, access counselling through its coffee shop counselling project, and helps people make “four walls a home” when they move from hostels into their own accommodation.
B&DWYE – SGB-15 – Kathryn, Izzy and Danielle from Barratt Homes handing the cheque to Chocolate and Co
Lisa Kerry, Project Lead at Chocolate & Co, said: “We were incredibly grateful and genuinely encouraged when Barratt and David Wilson Homes got in touch to let us know we would be receiving this donation. As a small charity, recognition like this means so much. It makes a real difference not only financially, but also in knowing that local organisations believe in our work and want to see it continue.”
“Donations like this provide stability as they allow us to focus on supporting people. Core funding ensures that our café can remain a safe, welcoming space where people can access work opportunities and community support, helping us sustain the long-term impact of our work.
“We would like to thank Barratt and David Wilson Homes for choosing to support Chocolate & Co. This donation directly helps people in York rebuild their lives and move forward with confidence and hope. Support like this allows small charities like ours to continue work that changes lives every day, and we are incredibly grateful.”
Since opening, Chocolate & Co has employed 19 beneficiaries, with a further 10 individuals engaging in its volunteer training programme. The charity has supported 12 people into further employment elsewhere and continues to provide regular check-ins and ongoing support as they settle into new roles, helping them sustain employment and maintain stability long-term.
B&DWYE – SGB-51 – The Barratt Homes team at the Chocolate & Co cafe
Each week it also supports 45–50 individuals through a pay-it-forward scheme, providing free meals and a safe, welcoming space where people feel seen and valued.
Barratt and David Wilson Homes’ donation was made as part of The Barratt Redrow Foundation, which is designed to support national and local charities, large and small, across the UK to leave a legacy in the communities in which the housebuilder operates.
The Barratt Redrow Foundation is celebrating its fifth anniversary in 2026. Since its launch, it has committed £20 million to charities and good causes, supported over 2,000 different charities, and is estimated to have directly impacted 100,000 young people each year.
Daniel Smith, Managing Director at Barratt and David Wilson Homes Yorkshire East, said: “We are committed to strengthening the communities we build in and supporting organisations like Chocolate & Co is an important part of that. The charity’s dedication to helping people rebuild their lives is inspiring and we are pleased to play a small part in enabling its continued impact.”
To find out more about the work of the charity, visit the website at Chocolate & Co.
For more information on developments in the area, visit the websites at Barratt Homes in North Yorkshire and David Wilson Homes in North Yorkshire.