Over the past two years, the Future-Building Fund has given significant infrastructure funding to a range of excellent local charities that wanted to scale up their operation. The fund’s success was celebrated at a small gathering of donors, and published in a new report.
OCF’s Chief Executive and President were delighted to attend the service in Windsor, along with hundreds of representatives from communities in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire. Organiser The Oxford Foundation has recently set up a named fund with OCF to channel any fundraising.
Sarah Taylor this week took over from Tom Birch Reynardson as Oxfordshire’s High Sheriff, a year-long ceremonial and community role. During her shrieval year Sarah will be working with OCF to support and fundraise for people in the county who have caring roles.
We were saddened recently to hear that Eileen Cavalier, founder of the London College of Beauty Therapy and a friend of community foundations, passed away recently. Eileen spoke at our debate in November at the Oxford Union, making the case for the beauty industry’s philanthropic activity.
Members of our responsible business group have the chance to take part in a Transpersonal Leadership Masterclass, being offered free by local professional development company Leadershape.
Lady Stephanie North has been a trustee of Oxfordshire Community Foundation since 2003, and as Chair of the Grants Panel has been a key figure in giving away £5.3 million to 1,700 different local charities and community groups. She is replaced as Grants Chair by Laura Chapman.
Representatives from 50 local companies attended the launch of the new responsible business group Reciprocate. At the event, which was generously sponsored by Reciprocate member Withy King and hosted by The Ashmolean, participants were inspired to work more collaboratively to help the local community.
As a finale to his year as High Sheriff, Tom Birch Reynardson has invited former Chief Secretary of the Treasury Jonathan Aitken to give a talk at the Said Business School. Convicted of perjury and imprisoned in 1999, he will share an insider’s understanding of why such a huge percentage of offenders return to jail.
OCF welcomes Laura Chapman and Lisa Compton as trustees, who bring a huge amount of charity and financial management expertise to the foundation. We are also saying a heartfelt thank you to David Astor and Ann Buchanan, who have now left the OCF Board after many years of dedicated hard work.
A wide range of projects supported by OCF’s Sovereign Housing grant programme came together on Saturday to share their achievements with the Sovereign grants panel. The panel is made up of residents from the housing association’s properties in Oxfordshire, with grants being administered by the community foundation.