OCF’s 5th #GivingTuesday event was held last week at Maggie’s Oxford, with over 80 of our donors and supporters.
Every year we host an informal drinks reception to mark #GivingTuesday – the charity antidote to retail days #BlackFriday and #CyberMonday. The event is the chance for us to celebrate another year of giving.
This year we held #GivingTuesday at the tree-house inspired Maggie’s – in memory of Sarah Hodgkinson – one of our cherished volunteers who sadly passed away at the start of 2019.
Guests again enjoyed delicious food from the Syrian Sisters, a group of refugee women who have set up a social enterprise catering for events. OCF previously supported this group via a grant to Asylum Welcome.
OCF’s Chair John Taylor welcomed everyone and explained how OCF is evolving as we move into our 25th year in 2020. How our grant funding has become one of several tools that will drive positive social change and that our future strategy focuses on unlocking the power of our communities.
The evening also included insight into what disadvantage looks like in the family home from Katharine Barber at Home Start Oxford and a sneak preview of our new Twist of Fate story telling video. We also had break out rooms to allow for more personalised updates on our Growing Minds school readiness project and the development of Oxford Homeless Movement.
We shared our new series of factsheets – which explain our new approach and these new strategic programmes. Please let us know if you would like a paper copy or you can download them from our website.