The Birketts Charitable Fund has celebrated 20 years of grant making in Suffolk, distributing £250,000 to over 100 local charities.
Set up in 2006 as the first corporate fundholder with Suffolk Community Foundation, the Birketts Charitable Fund helps to support locally based charitable projects across Suffolk.
Over the last 20 years, a variety of causes have been supported, helping local organisations reach more beneficiaries and support those within our community who most need help. This year marks an important milestone, both in terms of the longevity of the Fund but also the milestone of having awarded £250,000 in grants to over 100 local charities.
Administered by Suffolk Community Foundation and overseen by a panel of Ipswich-based Birketts employees, over £22,000 was awarded in the latest round of grant giving. Beneficiaries include:
- Second Stage: a new charity set up to address high reoffending rates in Suffolk. The charity engages with, trains and offers work experience and employment opportunities to people exiting the criminal justice system within the live events industry.
- Unscene Suffolk: a community arts, theatre and music project for adults with visual impairment in Suffolk.
- Prisoners’ Advice Service: a charity which provides legal advice and information to prisoners in England and Wales on their rights. The grant supported the charity’s recent work in three prisons across Suffolk.
- Bags of Taste: a mentored home cooking programme in Ipswich for people struggling with food budgets or experiencing vulnerability.
On the recent milestone, Amy Austin, who chairs the Ipswich panel and heads up Birketts’ charity administration & clerking team, said: “This is a truly wonderful milestone to have reached and we are so pleased to have been able to support and see so many fantastic local causes. The last few years have been particularly challenging for charities and local causes, as many face increased demand, rising costs and fewer funding opportunities. We hope to continue supporting different causes in whatever way we can, and are honoured to be stewards of this important Fund as it hits this fantastic milestone.”
Hannah Bloom, Chief Executive, Suffolk Community Foundation, added: “We are incredibly grateful for the longstanding support of Birketts, the Foundation’s first corporate fundholder, which began with the establishment of an endowed fund in 2006. Over the past two decades, the fund has awarded an outstanding £250,000 in grants to charities and voluntary organisations across Suffolk, a remarkable achievement that has made a real difference to communities throughout the county. This is testament to Birketts strong approach to supporting their local community.
“It has been a genuine pleasure to work alongside the team at Birketts during this time and we look forward to building on this relationship for many years to come. On behalf of everyone at Suffolk Community Foundation, I would like to extend our heartfelt thanks for their generosity and continued support.”
For more information about Responsible Business at Birketts, visit https://www.birketts.co.uk/responsible-business/.
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