News Archives
• Foundation
moves home 12 December 2005
• Birmingham
'Tornado Hardship Fund' Appeal
• Foundation
helps Cliff actor hang on to his acting future - Oct 05
• Give
As You Purchase by Ink Design - Sept 05
• Foundation
calls on city firms for immediate investment... - article Sept 05
• Concert
proves real weapon against potential conflict in Aston - Aug 05
• Dragon
Boat Race - article July 05
• Karting
Spectacular - article Apr 05
• Music
Bonanza (Summer Prom 05) - article Mar 05
• Trust
Strengthens Birmingham Foundations - article Mar 05
• Comic
Relief Announce 4 Million to be Distributed Through UK CFN's - article Feb
05
• Aston
Pride New Deal for Communities: Community Chest - article Jan 05
• Marathon
Challenge to City Firms - article Nov 04
• Laying
the Foundations for Good CSR - article Oct 04
• Sweet Sound
of Success - article Oct 04
• Classics
Showcase - Symphony Hall
• Nechells
Baths Project
• New
Scheme for Giving to Charity through the Tax Return - Inland Revenue
• Outreach
& Support - June 2003
• New
Community Resource Available for Drugs Work - June 2003
• Birmingham
Community Chest
• Express
Yourself through Payroll Giving
• Clothes
Raise Cash for Charity
• Remember
a Charity
• Foundation
Splash's out for Nechells Baths
• CBI
Chief Champions Have-Not's
• Out
of the Boardroom and into Charity Work
• Mystery
offer of £250,000 for Charity
• On
Target for £2million
• Drug
Action Team (DAT) Launches Community Chest
• GOWM
Announces a further two years Community Chest Funding
• Children's
Fund Local Network changes its Name
• European
Programme Offers Fundraising Support
• Thanks
for Million!
• Community
Chest
• European
Social Fund (ESF)
• £100,000
Donated to Groups Benefiting Disadvantaged Children
• Government
Fund Targets Birmingham's Disadvantaged Children
•
Foundation moves home 12 December 2005
As from Monday 12th December the Birmingham Foundation will be moving premises
to:
The Birmingham Foundation
Suite 2A
St Georges Court
1 Albion Street
Birmingham
B1 3AH
Tel: 0121 214 2080 Fax: 0121 214 2099
Multimap Direction link:
www.multimap.com/map/browse.cgi?lat=52.4849&lon=-1.9162&scale=10000&icon=x
•
Give As You Purchase by Ink Design - Sept
05
We are pleased to announce an exciting new initiative offered by one of our
longstanding suppliers and supporting companies, Ink Design.
Ink Design, a local visual communications agency, came up with the idea a
few weeks ago and arranged to come and chat to us about it here at the Foundation.
The Give As You Purchase scheme will enable you to donate more money to the
Birmingham Foundation without actually parting with any additional cash. Ink
Design would simply donate, on your behalf, 10% of all business that you place
with them through the scheme.
We were of course delighted to to be involved with this new initiative and
thought that it was a great idea and an area that we hadn't explored before.
For further details, please download the 'Give
As You Purchase flyer'
Ink Design focuses on providing high quality
graphic solutions that will help establish or heighten your market presence
and unique identity. For further information
please visit their website: www.ink-design.com
•
Foundation calls on city firms for immediate
investment in future tragedies
In light of the New Orleans hurricane tragedy, the Birmingham Foundation has
called for local firms to rethink the way they support the charity to enable
its' endowment fund to grow and be capable of delivering immediate financial
aid in the event of future tragedy in and around the city.
Please download 'New
Orleans Press Release - sept 05' for further information
•
Dragon Boat Race - article July 05
Please refer to the article below within the events section for further information
- please click here to take straight
to it
•
Karting Spectacular - article April 05
Please refer to the article below within the events section for further information
- please click here to take straight
to it
•
Music Bonanza (Summer Prom) - article March
05
A musical celebration which raised around
£25,000 for charities in Birmingham wil have a repeat performance this
summer.
Hyder Consulting (UK) Ltd an international engineering company with an office
in Aston, is the principal sponsor and brainchild of the Summer Prom, which
is one of the Birmingham Foundation's main fundraising
events fo the year.
Last years' money helped a wide variety of community projects with £9,500
already allocated to groups within the Aston and Nechells area.
For further details on this years' Summer Prom
which takes place on Thursday 7th July 2005 at the Symphony Hall, please click
here
•
Trust Strengthens Birmingham Foundations
- article March 05
The Charles Henry Foyle Trust (CHFT) has appointed the Birmingham Foundation
to manage its grant-making programme.
The CHFT, which awards grants of up to £3,000 to projects or events
promoting individual and community development in South West Birmingham, will
also switch its office to the Birmingham Foundation. The CHFT wil continue
to operate under its own name, with grants being awarded to projects meeting
their criteria.
For further details on the Charles Henry Foyle Grant Criteria please
click here
•
Comic Relief Announce 4 Million from Sport
Relief 2004 Campaign to be Distributed in the UK Through Community Foundations
- Feb 05
Community Foundations have been entrusted £4 million on behalf of Sport
Relief to projects in the UK that use sport to tackle the exlcusion and isolation
experienced by some of the poorest and most disadvantaged communities.
Summer 2004 saw over 81,000 people from all over the UK take part in the FitnessFirst
Sport Relief Mile and raise over £16 million for projects in the UK
and overseas.
Half the money raised through Sport Relief will be spent in the UK, the other
half will be awarded to projects that work to help kids who are living really
tough lives in some of the poorest countries in the world.
In the UK Sport relief money aims to fund work, which uses sport and exercise
to strengthen communities and provide opportunities for people who are excluded
or disadvantaged. This may be through low income, rural or social isolation,
age, disability, race, sexuality or gender.
Judith McNeill, Comic Relief Grants Director said:
"We felt it was important that money raised through Sport relief reached
communities across the UK who are most in need. For this reason we decided
to work with Community Foundations as they have the network to ensure that
Sport relief money is widely distributed at a local level who really need
it".
Groups can apply for money from £250 up to £5000.
Information on Community Foundations can be
found at www.communityfoundations.org.uk
or visit www.sportrelief.com
for more information.
The Birmingham Foundation will be administering this fund for Birmingham
and the Black Country, please click
here for details on how to apply
•
Aston Pride New Deal for Communities: Community
Chest - article Jan 05:
The Birmingham Foundation is administering the Aston Pride NDC: Community
Chest. A small grants programme that enables organisations to co-ordinate
activities and develop projects and programmes for people who live in the
Aston Pride area.
Please click here for further information:
•
Marathon Challenge to City Firms - article
Nov 04:
A Birmingham businessman who was the victim of a serious hit and run accident
nearly 20 years ago is challenging local business leaders to help him beat
his previous fundraising total when he takes part in the New York marathon
next month.
Andrew Pearson, a director of Francis Graves and Naismiths, has been left
with only partial mobility in his lower left leg and ankle following the accident
in 1984. He will be taking part in the race on 7 November and will be running
to support the good work of the Birmingham Foundation.
Richard Graves and Peter Bache are endeavouring to raise in excess of £5,000.
Harvey Mansfield of the Birmingham Foundation added: "We’re thrilled
that Andrew has decided to support the Foundation and wish him every success
with the race.
Anyone wishing to sponsor Andrew can do so by contacting either Ann Bedford
on 0121 603 9001 or Sylvia Anderson on 0121 212 0005.
•
Laying the Foundations for Good CSR - article
Oct 04
Independent property advisor GVA Grimley has chosen The Birmingham Foundation
to help boost the company’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) efforts.
Through its association with the Foundation, the Birmingham-based company
is now lending vital support to three charitable organisations within the
city, providing them with essential resources and fostering links with the
wider business community.
The partnership developed following a presentation given by the Saltley-based
community regeneration body. This inspired GVA Grimley’s charity committee
to work alongside the Foundation and channel its charitable work and donations
into three local community groups: The Birmingham Down’s Syndrome Network,
Aston Women’s Self-Help Group and children’s theatre company Stage 2.
Malcolm Gloster, partner in charge of the firm’s Birmingham office, endorses
this view: "Joining forces with Birmingham Foundation has meant that
our approach to CSR has become more clearly defined. We have become actively
involved in the everyday concerns of each community group and staff provide
help and support on a number of fronts and give up personal time.
Harvey Mansfield, director of the Birmingham Foundation, said: "Everyone
is thrilled with the results of the scheme, which reflect the hard work and
commitment shown by all involved. Collaboration with the Birmingham Foundation
enables companies such as GVA Grimley, to embrace the social element of CSR
by effectively and efficiently outsourcing their charitable giving through
us."
•
Sweet Sound of Success - article Oct 04
The Birmingham Foundation is celebrating the success of its first Summer Prom,
which raised in the region of £27,000 for Birmingham charities. Its success
has prompted the decision to make the Prom an annual event and the Foundation
has announced a provisional date of 7 July for next year.
The prestigious event was held at Symphony Hall and was the brainchild of
Hyder Consulting. The concert was hosted by Central News presenter Llewella
Bailey and attracted over 2000 guests who enjoyed a programme of popular classics
performed by the Birmingham Philharmonic Orchestra. The orchestra was also
joined by St Peter’s Collegiate Church Choir from Wolverhampton and Walsall
Choral Society who led the Last Night of the Proms-style sing-a-long during
the second half of the concert.
The money raised by the Prom will be distributed between three areas of the
Foundation’s work: projects operating in the area of the Prom’s main sponsor
and organiser, Hyder Consulting; local groups and grass-roots projects to
be identified by the Foundation and the Foundation’s own endowment fund. This
fund lies at the heart of the Foundation’s charitable efforts and provides
donors with an opportunity to invest in the future of Birmingham in a directed,
flexible and tax-efficient manner.
Harvey Mansfield, director of the Birmingham Foundation, said: "I am
delighted that the event was such a success. The Summer Prom is an excellent
way of giving something back to the community while at the same time enjoying
a thoroughly entertaining evening of classical music with friends and family.
The Prom is a key date on the fundraising calendar and we would like to thank
everyone involved for making it possible."
•
Classics Showcase - Symphony Hall
Classical favourites will echo around Birmingham's Symphony Hall when a summer
spectacular is staged for the Birmingham Foundation on Wednesday 7 July.
Foundation chairman, David Bucknall said: "It provides a chance to welcome the summer season in style while raising funds for a number of local community projects and organisations all working towards making a significant impact to create a region which is better to live, work and invest in".
Principal sponsors for the event are international engineering consultancy Hyder Consulting (UK) Ltd. For further information please click here
•
Nechells Baths Project
Following the Duke of Edinburgh visit
to the Baths last year, work has begun on refurbishing the Baths building.
You may even have seen the scaffolding surrounding the Baths situated on the
corner of Nechells Park Road and Aston Church Road.
What’s Happening?
Well, after much fundraising the old Baths building is being completely transformed
with the help of European finance, the Heritage Lottery Fund and trusts and
charities, work is taking place to provide a new enterprise and Community
Centre that will be open to all local residents.
There are to be two open days where the public
can see and discuss plans for the redevelopment, they will be on:
• Saturday
3 July at St Clements School
• Saturday 10 July at Nechells School
For further information please contact Harvey Mansfield, Director of the Birmingham Foundation on 0121 326 6886 or via email harvey@bhamfoundation.co.uk
•
New scheme for giving to charity through
the tax return - Inland Revenue
From April 2004 people who complete a self assessment tax return will be able
to nominate a charity to receive all or part of any repayment due to them.
The Inland Revenue will publish a list of participating charities from which
donors will choose, the Birmingham Foundation will be on that list. Donors
can then enter the charity's identification code (given by the Inland Revenue)
on their tax return.
Donors can then enter the charity's identification code (given by the Inland
Revenue) on their tax return.
•
Outreach & Support – June 2003
Following the recent confirmation of the Birmingham Foundation administering
the Local Network Fund (LNF) for a further year, a separate Outreach & Support
department has been set up for both Birmingham and the Black Country to help
with organisations / community groups looking to access funding.
Please go to the 'Contacts Us' page under
the heading 'Outreach & Support Departments' for contact numbers.
•
New Community Resource Available for Drugs
Work - June 2003
The
Birmingham Voluntary Sector Drugs Forum (BVSDF) is pleased to announce that
a brand new caravanette (mobile home) is available for use by any Birmingham-based
organisation undertaking drugs-related work. The vehicle has been funded by
Birmingham Drug Action Team's Communities Against Drugs (CAD) Group and can
be booked for use free of charge.
For further information, please contact Laura Stafford at the Birmingham Foundation
on: 0121 326 6886 or via email: laura@bhamfoundation.co.uk
However, if you would like to discuss uses for the vehicle, please contact
Nicolette Williams, BVSDF Co-ordinator on: 01905 641621 or via email n.williams@thorngrove.demon.co.uk
•
Birmingham Community Chest - April 2003
The Birmingham Foundation is no longer administering this fund. For further
information or to request an application pack please contact the Birmingham
Community Empowerment Network (BCEN) on 0121 678 8893 or 0121 678 8892 to
request an application pack.
•
Express Yourself through Payroll Giving
- 1st May 2003
Have you seen our advert at Snow Hill Station? Please
follow the link to the Give as you
Earn page to find out more.
• "Clothes Raise Cash for Charity"
"Thirteen of us got together and we raised £409 for the charity during a girls night in" said Lou Jones, Chief Executive of C3 Consulting.
Esther Stockdale, of Claws and Nails (CATS), provided make-up and manicure sessions, the Belfry donated a spa day for two and bespoke golf club manufacturers Harway Golf donated two ladies golf clubs for the raffle. In addition the evening have guests a chance to clear their wardrobes and sell some of their designer outfits with a percentage of the sale going to the charity.
"It was great. We got a girls night in doing what we like best and we helped boost the charity’s coffers" added Lou.
See Events Listing 'C3 Consulting Ladies Night 14th January 2003' for more information.
•
REMEMBER A CHARITY - 6th February 2003
Remember A Charity is the biggest combined effort of its kind in the UK. For
the first time ever, almost 90 UK charities have joined forces to raise awareness
about leaving money to charity and to make it the norm rather than the exception.
The Birmingham Foundation is one of those 90 charities.
Visit our legacies page to find
out more
•
FOUNDATION SPLASHS OUT FOR NECHELLS BATHS
- 21st January 2003
Partnership between the Birmingham Foundation and the City of Birmingham will
bring an historic landmark building out of disuse and back into community.
Nechells Baths, a solid Victorian building completed in 1902, had a vibrant community history, but fell into disuse in 1995.
The Birmingham Foundation has worked in the classic public/private partnership with the City of Birmingham to produce an imaginative scheme to bring the existing baths back into reuse for the benefit of the Nechells community.
External funds have already been earmarked for this ambitious project, and future funding will be finalised to secure the total amount.
Paramount to the project will be the involvement of the local community in contributing to the development. Consultation will take place over the next few months and throughout the regeneration of the Baths to ensure the facilities offered dovetail with the needs of the community.
Current facilities under consideration are:
 |
|
A unique feature of the project will be the opportunity
for a number of people to receive training in construction and conservation
craft skills. This training will be ongoing as the project progresses and
will give people the opportunity to redevelop traditional working skills.
•
CBI chief champions have-nots – 21st November
2002
Digby Jones, the Birmingham-born head of the Confederation of British Industry
has called on big business to help bridge the gap between the city's haves
and have-nots. He told bosses gathered at the Birmingham Foundation "Foundation
for the Future" event that the consequences could be more crime and social
division if business ignored the plight of the less fortunate in society.
Mr Jones was at the event last night to launch
the John Saville Challenge, where businesses have been asked to match a £250,000
donation from a Birmingham entrepreneur. Mr Jones said: "I am a Brummie
and proud of it. This is about Birmingham looking after its own… We don't
have any right to expect the respect of the people whose lives we affect if
we don't make the wealth creation socially inclusive".
The Birmingham Foundation has until the end of March 2003 to match the John Saville Challenge. If you would like to help then please get in touch either by email team@bhamfoundation.co.uk or by calling Gavin Petrie or Ali Chafekar on 0121 326 6886, thank you.
 |
Andy Lamb (Harris Lamb), Sonia Saville and Harvey Mansfield |
 |
Bob Warman, Alan Jones (Dibb Lupton Alsop) and Dan Mason |
•
September
2002 - OUT OF THE BOARDROOM AND INTO CHARITY WORK
A former company boss has a new goal in life – to help raise £250,000
in eight months. Gavin Petrie thought he had turned his back on the city when
he sold his stake in a printing firm. But he told us that the lure of Birmingham
was so great that he could not resist an offer to join the Birmingham Foundation
to help them meet their challenge head on. A Mystery Investor has offered
£250,000 to go into the Foundations endowment fund if they can match
the amount by March 2003 (see Mystery Offer)
Gavin and his colleague Ali Chafekar have already made an approach to Birmingham
businesses to ask for their support. If you feel that you could help then
please contact Gavin at gavin@bhamfoundation.co.uk
or Ali at ali@bhamfoundation.co.uk
If more convenient you can also contact them on 0121 326 6886.
STOP PRESS: We can now offer secure online donations via the Charities
Aid Foundation website: www.givenow.org
once on this site, simply select ‘Find a Charity’ and type in ‘Birmingham
Foundation’ so that you can view our details.
•
July 2002 – MYSTERY OFFER OF £250,000
FOR CHARITY
An anonymous philanthropist has contacted the Birmingham Foundation offering
to donate £250,000 to the charity if it could match the amount through
its own efforts. The cash must be raised by March next year for the deal to
go ahead and the proceeds would be used for the benefit of disadvantaged children
and young people in the city.
The windfall would be put into the foundation's endowment
fund to enable it to make cash awards to small community groups. Annual interest
on £500,000 is currently worth about £25,000!
The telephone call from the mystery donor came out of the blue to the foundation’s
president Bob Taylor, Lord Lieutenant of the West Midlands.
Donors can contribute money in a variety of ways including cash, shares, securities,
legacies and Give as you Earn schemes which attract tax breaks, visit our
How to Give page to learn more or
our Events listing below to see how others have raised
cash for the Foundation.
Anyone wishing to help us reach our target can do so by contacting us on 0121
326 6886 or via Email: team@bhamfoundation.co.uk.
Secure On-line Donations can now be made via the
Charities Aid Foundation website:
www.givenow.org
•
June 2002 – ON TARGET FOR £2MILLION
The Birmingham Foundation announced at its recent Celebration of Progress
event in March its quest to distribute £2 million to local community
projects and organisations by the end of March 2003.
Since April 2002, nearly £500,000 has been distributed to over 100 local
community projects. This is with thanks to many businesses; individuals; government
initiatives such as the Local Network Fund, and the neighbourhood renewal
agenda the ‘Birmingham Community Chest’.
See our 'How to Give' pages to see
how you can help us reach our target.
•
May 2002 – DRUG ACTION TEAM (DAT) LAUNCHES
COMMUNITY CHEST
The DAT has awarded the Birmingham Voluntary Sector Drugs Forum (BVSDF) £60,000
per year for the next 3 years to set up a fund to help organisations with
drugs-related work.
The 'BVSDF Community Chest' will provide grants to groups within the Birmingham
area, who can contribute to tackling drug misuse across the four main themes
of "Tackling Drugs to Build a Better Britain."
For further details please contact: Nicolette Williams, BVSDF Co-ordinator
on
Tel: 01905 641621 or Email: n.williams@thorngrove.demon.co.uk
(BVSDF’s parent body, the Birmingham Foundation will hold the
Community Chest on behalf of the BVSDF)
•
May 2002 - GOWM ANNOUNCES A FURTHER TWO
YEARS COMMUNITY CHEST FUNDING
During 2001 – 2002, a total of £66, 512 was distributed by the
Birmingham Foundation (via Government Office West Midlands) and as part of
the overall Neighbourhood Renewal agenda, to sixteen Birmingham voluntary
and community organisations. The programme will provide grants of between
£50 - £5000; and is designed to stimulate and support community
activity in deprived areas of the city, so that more people become involved
in the regeneration of their communities and neighbourhoods.
The GOWM announced in May that a further £229,000 was to be made available
for 2002-2003, and over £422,000 for 2003 – 2004; once again to
be managed by the Birmingham Voluntary Services Council (BVSC)
For further information, please call Yvonne Palmer at The Birmingham Foundation
on 0121 326 6886 or Email: yvonne@bhamfoundation.co.uk
(As the Birmingham’s Community Chest manager, BVSC has contracted
the Birmingham Foundation and the Scarman Trust to undertake the grant distribution.
Please note: the above amounts are for distribution by the Birmingham Foundation
alone)
•
May 2002 – CHILDRENS FUND LOCAL NETWORK
CHANGES ITS NAME
In April 2002 the CFLN changed its name to the ‘Local Network Fund for
children and young people’ (a government scheme tackling child poverty)
covering the following four themes: Economic Disadvantage; Isolation and Access;
Aspirations and Experiences and Children’s Voices.
The Birmingham Foundation will be administering the Local Network Fund in
the Black Country (Dudley, Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton) and Birmingham/Solihull
(with the support of the Solihull Community Foundation).
Further information and Grant Guidelines can be found on the Children
and Young People's Unit's (CYPU) website.
•
April 2002 - EUROPEAN PROGRAMME OFFERS FUNDRAISING
SUPPORT
During 2001 a successful bid was made to the European Social Fund (ESF) obtaining
funding to target support to some 250 small voluntary and community organisations
helping them build a fund-raising strategy for their organisation.
To date around 260 organisations have now been supported through this programme.
If you are a small voluntary organisation based in Birmingham and require
assistance with regards to fund-raising then simply register your organisation
by downloading the ‘Organisation Registration Form’ in the 'How
to Receive' page.
•
21st March 2002 – THANKS
A MILLION!
More
than a hundred guests attended the ‘Celebration of Progress’ event,
sponsored by Pizza Express, Brindleyplace which symbolised the first £1million
pounds of grants given by the Birmingham Foundation in a single year to nearly
400 community projects.
Special guest: Jasper Carrott said: “The Birmingham Foundation is what
I believe charity should be all about - helping people to help themselves.
My heart is in Birmingham and I am delighted by the way that everybody here
has worked so hard for the city.”
• Community Chest
£357,000 (via Government Office West Midlands) is
available for Birmingham voluntary and community organisations during 2001-02,
as part of the overall Neighbourhood Renewal agenda. Designed to stimulate
and support community activity in deprived areas. Although BVSC is Birmingham’s
Community Chest manager, it has contracted with the Birmingham Foundation
and the Scarman Trust to undertake the grant distribution. Please call The
Birmingham Foundation on 0121 326 6886 or email us at yvonne@bhamfoundation.co.uk
for further information.
• European Social Fund (ESF)
The Birmingham Foundation has made a successful application
to the European Social Fund (ESF) and now manages an ESF Capacity Building
Programme for small voluntary organisations. To see if our Capacity Building
Team can help you with a fund raising strategy, then simply register your
organisation by downloading the Organisation Form in the ‘How To Receive’
page.
•
£100,000 donated to groups benefiting disadvantaged
children
Seventeen Black Country Children's Groups are to benefit
from grants totalling almost £100,000 awarded at the recent grant making meeting
of the Children's Fund Local Network in the Black Country, covering Dudley,
Sandwell, Walsall and Wolverhampton. Harvey Mansfield, Director of the Birmingham
Foundation said, "This is a great opportunity for local Black Country groups
to access funding addressing child poverty and disadvantage. The Children's
Fund Local Network in the Black Country still has over £250,000 left from
this financial years allocation to distribute to qualifying organisations."
To find out more, please visit CFLN or contact the Foundation on 0121 326
6886 or via email team@bhamfoundation.co.uk
•
Government fund targets Birmingham's disadvantaged children
The Birmingham Foundation has been appointed to administer two Children's Fund Local Network areas, Birmingham/ Solihull and the Black Country. We are working closely with many voluntary organisations, including the Solihull Community Foundation.
The fund is worth £2.5 million to Birmingham/Solihull and the Black Country over the next 3 years and is intended to support projects which address the following themes: Aspirations and Experiences; Economic Disadvantage; Isolation and Access and Children’s Voices.
"This fund will build on our existing efforts to support the most needy communities in our area. There are literally hundreds of small groups on our doorstep, all with excellent ideas that could have a major impact on the lives of the children in deprived Birmingham communities.
This fund will enable these ideas to come to life."
David Bucknall, Chairman, Birmingham Foundation
