Saturday 4th September 2010 saw Jamie Carragher’s testimonial match being held at Anfield to raise money for the 23 Foundation.  With over 35,000 supporters at Anfield and a full house at the BT Convention Centre, both the 23 Foundation and Community Foundation for Merseyside would like to thank everyone who was there to support on the day and helped raise much needed funds for the communities of Merseyside.

Founded by Liverpool FC’s number 23 - Jamie Carragher, the 23 Foundation seeks to provide the youth of Merseyside with the means to make a difference in society by giving them an outlet through football and sport. Jamie Carragher set up The 23 Foundation with the Community Foundation for Merseyside at the beginning of 2009 in order to provide grants to young people in local communities.

The 23 Foundation encourages the youth of Merseyside to actively reach for their dreams by following their sporting interests. By providing a framework for achieving their goals, the Merseyside community - of which Jamie himself is very much a part of - can develop more confident, well rounded individuals.

Following the testimonial match and gala dinner the 23 Foundation and Community Foundation are working together to develop grant guidelines and set panel dates which are in the process of being confirmed.  Once completed all relevant documents and information will be available from the Community Foundation website. 

The Community Foundation for Merseyside won the coveted Fundraising Team of the Year Award at the national 2010 Charity Times Awards on the 1st September 2010.

The Charity Times Awards recognise and reward excellence in the management and co-ordination of all charitable activities. The Community Foundation for Merseyside received the award for best fundraising team based on innovative fundraising and financial results that exceeded expectations, especially in a time of recession during the last year.
The Community Foundation is one of the largest charitable grant-makers in Merseyside, and has awarded over £39 million of grants to local community groups and voluntary organisations throughout Merseyside in its 11 year history. It is also a leading Philanthropy Centre working with donors and philanthropists from across Merseyside to promote giving and invest funding into communities to achieve positive social change as part of the national and global network of community foundations.

Chief Executive at the Community Foundation, Cathy Elliott, said: "I am absolutely delighted that we have received the Fundraising Team of the Year Award! This reflects our clear fundraising successes, highlighted by a record income year from all sectors, boosting strong community projects across Merseyside. We place great importance upon the Charity Times Awards because it sends an important message to our stakeholders.”
Shortlisted with the Community Foundation was another local Merseyside charity, Claire House Children’s Hospice, a bright and vibrant place caring for children and young adults who have a life limiting illness. Based over 2 sites, their Hospice to Home office in Liverpool and their Hospice in Wirral, Claire House also focuses on the needs of the whole family, providing bereavement and other support for as long as it is needed.
Helen Carlson, Claire House Children’s Hospice Area Manager for Merseyside said “Everyone at Claire House took it as a huge accolade to have been nominated for Fundraising Team of the Year Award. It is definitely a proud day for two well deserving North West Charities and we’d like to congratulate and wish Community Foundation for Merseyside all the best for their future”.
Claire House has no guaranteed government funding and needs to raise in excess of £2.5 million each year to maintain its high levels of service which they have achieved through creative fundraising activities. Claire House was awarded highly commended at the 2010 Charity Times Awards.
Cathy Elliott went on to say, “We were thrilled to have been nominated with Claire House Children’s Hospice and would like to congratulate them on being highly commended at the 2010 Charity Times Awards. The Community Foundation and Claire House receiving national recognisation highlights Merseyside’s commitment to enriching the lives of people and through our work creates united, thriving and prosperous communities.”

The Community Foundation for Merseyside has raised almost £13,500 in just 14 days for the Bootle Emergency Flood Appeal. The appeal is in partnership with Sefton Council, One Vision Housing and Sefton CVS, is aiming to raise £25,000 for those affected by the flooding in Bootle during July 2010, when approximately 47 households in Bootle were damaged.

The aim of the Bootle Emergency Flood Appeal is to alleviate some of the financial hardship and emotional stress by supporting individuals affected by the flooding, both in the short-term and long-term.

Following the floods, the Community Foundation has been working in partnership with other organisations from Merseyside and beyond to highlight hardship of the local community and promote the different ways people can support those affected.
The fund has benefitted from donations from local companies, trusts and individuals across the region. The largest donation has come from West Lancashire Freemason’s Association of £5,000 with additional donations from Cargill, Proven Charitable Trust, DELTA Taxis, Earl of Derby, Liverpool City Council back office staff and Bootle Elim Pentecostal Church and residents across Merseyside.

Cathy Elliott, Chief Executive of the Community Foundation for Merseyside said:
“The Community Foundation for Merseyside would like to say thank you to all of its partners and to those donors who have supported the Bootle Emergency Flood Appeal so far. To secure over half of our initial target within 14 days highlights the community spirit and generosity that makes Merseyside such a special place. The Community Foundation is determined to continue working with local funders and organisations to reach and surpass the £25,000 target to support those individuals and families that have been affected by the flash floods.”

As a result of the substantial financial losses that have occurred due to the flooding in July 2010, the Community Foundation continuing to work towards the target of £25,000. Local businesses are being approached to support the appeal, as well as local charitable trusts, foundations and community fundraising activities are being encouraged.

Cathy proceeded to state, “The Community Foundation is hoping that there will be enough support for this appeal that funding can be distributed in two stages: immediate support including immediate help with everyday essentials such as food, travel costs and child care; and supplementary support such as grants to those who have lost furniture in their homes and restoring properties to ensure it has the greatest possible positive effect on those affected.”

You can donate online by visiting: www.justgiving.com/bootlefloodappeal. If you would like to know more about the Bootle Emergency Flood Appeal, other ways to give, or more information about the Community Foundation, please click here.

The Community Foundation for Merseyside has attained the prestigious Investors in People (IIP) Sliver Award, having been recognised for their high standard of achievements as a Merseyside employer.

Investors in People offers a business improvement tool designed to help all kinds of organisations develop performance through their people. It aims to increase the productivity of the UK economy by improving the way in which organisations manage and develop their people, leading to business improvement and better public services

Retaining the IIP Standard Award since their last award in 2007 has been one of the key objectives of the Community Foundation’s business strategy. The Community Foundation met IIP’s Standard Award requirements and then evidenced 76 additional staff development activities to be recognised as Investors in People Silver.

The Community Foundation is one of the largest charitable grant-makers in Merseyside, awarding £36 million of grants to local community groups and voluntary organisations throughout Merseyside in their 11 year history. It is also a leading Centre for Philanthropy working with donors and philanthropists from across Merseyside to promote giving and invest funding into communities to achieve positive social change as part of the national and global network of community foundations.

Chief Executive at the Community Foundation, Cathy Elliott, said: "I am delighted that we have attained the Investors in People Sliver Award and with the progression we have made since 2007! This reflects our commitment to the development and support of our staff and volunteers to achieve our mission and vision in the community. We place great importance upon the IIP Silver status because it sends an important message to staff and volunteers that their role is valued and that we are aspiring to continual improvement.

“We are also thrilled to share the news with our donors, partners and grant recipients who continue to work with us to enrich the lives of people in and around Merseyside and through them create united, thriving and prosperous communities.”

At a special celebration on Friday 2nd July 2010, Windmill Hill Community Forum was presented with the Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service by David Briggs the Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire.

Also present were the Mayor of Halton Marie Wright, the Mayoress Sheila Walsh, and the newly elected MP for Weaver Vale, Graham Evans. Other special guests included representatives from some of the foundations, trusts and local organisations who helped to fund the Forum over the past year. A further 85 students and their families from the Forum’s very successful Telematics Centre made it a very popular event.

After the presentation of the award, made to Mike Burrows the Chairman of Windmill Hill Community Forum, David Briggs spoke to the assembled guests about his role as Lord Lieutenant, explaining that he was the Queen’s representative in Cheshire. He also further enlightened the assembled guests about the value of the Queen’s Award, which is a Volunteer Organisation’s equivalent of an MBE and the highest honour that a voluntary sector organisation can receive. He outlined the rigorous selection process required, initially by the County and finally by the Lord Chamberlain’s Office in London. He went on to say

“the Forum’s volunteers should be justifiably proud of their achievement because they were one of just two successful applicants from Cheshire and one of 103 successful applicants from across the whole country in 2010”.

In reply Mike Burrows thanked the Lord Lieutenant for presenting the award and the Mayor Marie Wright, the Mayoress Sheila Walsh, and Graham Evans MP for accepting the Forum’s invitation to attend. He then introduced the Forum’s Volunteers who had made the award possible, namely himself as Trustee, Chairman and Treasurer, Trustee and Secretary Tracey Crutchley, Trustee Cllr Mike Shepherd, Trustee David Brandwood, and Trustee and Transport Co-ordinator Gordon Jenions, who sadly passed away two weeks ago and will be sorely missed by all who knew him.

Following this new volunteer Rodney Rowe was formally welcomed to the Forum, and Nick Walton, the Telematics Centre’s Project Manger, was thanked for all his hard work and praised for his ability to teach at a level which students could easily understand.

Mike went on to thank the charity foundations and trusts who had provided funding over the past year, and was pleased to welcome Nicky Steele of the Community Foundation for Merseyside, Sophia Manners-Price and Joe Ainsworth of the RockSavage Power Company, and Kathryn Muscroft of the Liverpool Housing Trust. Representatives of the Lloyds TSB Foundation for England & Wales and the Santander Foundation had sent their apologies.  Mike’s final comment was

“I’d like to reserve a very special thank you for Beth Edwards who was responsible for nominating the Forum for the Queen’s Award and making this whole chain of events possible.”

After the speeches and photographs the VIPs circulated amongst the rest of the assembled guests and joined in the party atmosphere. At the end of the evening everyone expressed their pride that the Forum had won this prestigious award. All who attended expressed their thanks and appreciation towards David Briggs the Lord Lieutenant, Marie Wright the Mayor, Sheila Walsh the Mayoress and local MP Graham Evans who made a special evening all the more memorable by mingling and talking with everyone present.

4 days ago… they cycled 85 miles out of the rain of London and towards the sunshine of Banbury
3 days ago… they cycled 125 miles in beautiful weather and beautiful countryside from Banbury to Whitchurch
2 days ago… they cycled 45 miles through driving rain and the Mersey tunnel to arrive at Liverpool One for a celebratory lunch.

In celebration of the second anniversary of the opening of Liverpool One over 50 riders of mixed abilities to have covered 255 miles in two and a half days (more for those who got lost).  In doing so these cyclists raised awareness of the Liverpool One Foundation and £25,000 for the foundation that will go to continue supporting the Merseyside Community.

Grosvenor and its investment partners created The Liverpool ONE Foundation two years ago to demonstrate their commitment to supporting local initiatives, organisations and charities working at a grass roots level in the community. Administered by the Community Foundation for Merseyside, it has awarded grants of over £300,000 to date, to well in excess of 50 local causes.

Also a special congratulations to Cat Kirkcaldy and Jack Miller for raising over £2,000  towards the £25,000 total and successfully completing the cycle challenge.

To find out more about the Liverpool ONE Foundation, and to make a donation, visit http://www.justgiving.com/Liverpool-ONE-Foundation. 

The Cumbria Community Memorial Fund has been created to support the people and communities affected by the shootings of 2nd June 2010.

It is in response to the needs arising from the shootings and the publics wish to demonstrate their sympathy and support for those affected.

The Cumbria Community Memorial Fund has been opened with the support of the members of the Cumbria Recovery Coordination Group.

The Fund will be managed on behalf of partners by the Cumbria Community Foundation. A committee of the Foundation involving trustees and community representatives will oversee distribution of the funds. The committee will meet for the first time next week. How funds will be distributed will be agreed following discussions with the affected families and the local community.

Liverpool ONE donates over £250,000 to local causes

The Liverpool ONE Foundation has distributed over £250,000 to local community and voluntary groups in Merseyside, aiming to improve the lives of people and communities across Merseyside.

Local charity, the Community Foundation for Merseyside, has stepped up its bid in tackling unemployment and worklessness in young people by offering an internship opportunity within the charity.

Award-winning Liverpool based web design and application development agency, Mando Group, has partnered with local charity, Community Foundation for Merseyside in order to promote education and employability in young people across Merseyside.

Local charity, the Community Foundation for Merseyside, has now distributed close to £1 million pounds into Merseyside’s communities in a bid to target worklessness and progress individuals towards employment via its Employable Communities Fund (ECF).

Jamie Carragher was among the winners at the Spirit of Merseyside Awards 2009. Each year, the charity awards celebration, run by the Community Foundation for Merseyside, recognises the hard work of Merseyside’s vibrant voluntary and community sector and donors.

A fundraiser from local charity Community Foundation for Merseyside won a prestigious award at the Institute of Fundraising Awards at the Hilton London Metropole Hotel this week.

The legacy to Liverpool’s Capital of Culture Year is to receive a boost in the shape of a new partnership between local charity the Community Foundation for Merseyside and Liverpool headquartered law firm Hill Dickinson.

Local charity, the Community Foundation for Merseyside, is celebrating having distributed over half a million pounds in the last six months alone, to local grass-roots projects as part of the Merseyside Grassroots Grants Fund.

A charitable foundation has been launched today to look at reducing suicide rates across Merseyside.

The local youth crime prevention initiative, Merseyside Young Transformers Programme (MYT), was runner-up for a prestigious national award this month.

George Howarth MP and John Pugh MP greeted national and local politicians, along with attendees from Merseyside’s public and business sectors to look at how government policy relates to Merseyside’s communities.

Merseyside Police and Community Foundation for Merseyside have secured support from the Home Office’s new Tackling Knives Action Programme (TKAP) to work towards combating knife crime in the region.