The Jane Wates Patron Fund has made its final grants, bringing to a close a fund that has supported children and families across Oxfordshire while continuing the legacy of one of Oxfordshire Community Foundation’s (OCF) most influential supporters.
Established by Jane Wates OBE and her husband Jimmy Gordon before Jane’s death in 2020, the fund was created to improve the health, wellbeing and life chances of young children and their families. Since then, it has supported projects focused on early intervention, family support and education, reflecting the causes that mattered most to Jane throughout her lifetime.
The fund’s largest investment was in Growing Minds, an innovative partnership helping children in Berinsfield and Littlemore arrive at school ready to learn. Through grants totalling more than £132,000, the fund supported a programme that works with families from birth onwards through literacy support, home visiting, parenting programmes and group activities. By June 2025, Growing Minds had supported 685 children and distributed more than 17,500 books through the Dolly Parton Imagination Library.
The fund also helped other organisations supporting children and families facing challenges across Oxfordshire. A grant to ARCh (Assisted Reading for Children in Oxfordshire) supported the recruitment and training of volunteers helping children who struggle with reading. Funding for Home-Start Oxford enabled vulnerable families with young children to access practical and emotional support through home visits and community groups, while a recent grant to Oxfordshire Family Support Network has helped reduce isolation among parent carers of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities.
“It is always hugely rewarding to see a child, during our sessions, celebrating the progress they make with their reading, giggling at a particularly funny moment in a story and, perhaps of greatest consequence, discovering the magic of getting lost in a good book.” ARCh volunteer
Together, these grants reflect Jane’s long-held belief that supporting children and families early in life creates lasting benefits for individuals, communities and society as a whole. They also demonstrate the power of philanthropy that is rooted in a clear understanding of local need and delivered through trusted local organisations.
Read a full impact report about Jane’s contribution to OCF
While many people will remember Jane as a founding supporter, trustee and Vice-President of OCF, the impact of the fund shows how charitable giving can continue changing lives long after a donor’s lifetime. Through OCF, Jane and her family were able to ensure that the values she championed continued to shape funding decisions and create opportunities for local people.
The fund also provided support for OCF itself, helping the foundation continue its work connecting donors with effective local causes and ensuring grants reach organisations where they can make the greatest difference. Jane’s husband Jimmy Gordon says: “The wellbeing of OCF is fundamental to the wellbeing of the charitable sector in Oxfordshire. This is why we have chosen to support the OCF team directly to deliver their mission, just as Jane supported them with her time when she was alive.”
OCF’s Deputy CEO Kate Parrinder says: “Having worked with Jane herself for my first six years at OCF, and with Jimmy in recent years, I can say on behalf of our staff and trustees past and present how enormously grateful we are to Jane’s family for entrusting us with her legacy. Through partnerships like this, OCF is incredibly proud to help philanthropists turn their generosity into a lasting gift for Oxfordshire, and I hope others will consider following Jane’s example.”
Inspired by Jane’s contribution? OCF can help you to achieve your philanthropic ambitions. Contact Kate for an informal chat about how we could support you: kate.parrinder@oxfordshire.org.