Past News

Concorde Wheelchair Dancers

14.12.2009

The Concorde Wheelchair Dancers are a group of physically disabled people of all ages and physical disabilities who enjoy dancing, both socially and competitively. In November 2010 the group will compete in The British Wheelchair Dancers Championships in Blackpool. The Foundation has awarded a grant of £1,650 to the group to enable them to use a specially adapted coach to take them to The Championships.

Web Site: Concorde Wheelchair Dancers

The Fire Fighters Charity

07.10.2009

A grant of £1,000 was recently awarded to The Fire Fighters Charity to support its work in the Bristol area. The Charity offers various means of support to serving and retired Fire Fighters and their dependants. This support includes a beneficiary support service where help and advice is provided through a national helpline, putting beneficiaries in touch with local support coordinators and booking them into one of the Charity's three rehabilitation centres. Fire Fighters in Bristol would get use of Harcombe House in Devon. Harcombe House is unique in that it offers, at no cost to the beneficiaries, both therapy for those suffering from injury, illness or severe stress and recuperative breaks to provide rest and promote recovery and well being after life changing events.

Web Site: The Fire Fighters Charity

Caring at Christmas

25.09.2009

A grant of £5,000 was awarded at the August Trustees' meeting towards the work of Caring at Christmas. Caring at Christmas operates in Bristol over the Christmas week providing much needed shelter to the City's homeless. The basic needs that many of us take for granted are supplied, hot meals, clean clothes, laundry facilities and a bed for the night plus the little extras, a friendly face and a listening ear. Last year Caring at Christmas served over 1600 hot meals with their 400 strong volunteering team making a real difference to the homeless of Bristol.

Web Site: Caring at Christmas

Lifeskills Bristol

24.09.2009

A grant of 2,000 was awarded to Lifeskills Bristol towards the cost and delivery of safety education and training for older people. Lifeskills-Learning for Living is a permanent regional safety education and training centre built as a realistic village in The Create Centre. It is designed to help children, adults with learning difficulties and older people learn about safety in a fun and practical way. The village has houses, a shop, building site, playground, stream, railway and farm. All of these deliver various safety messages with the help of the volunteer guides in the centre.

Web Site: Lifeskills

Christians Against Poverty

23.09.2009

A grant of £2,390 has been awarded to Christians Against Poverty to assist with the Northwest Bristol Centre's running costs. In the current economic downturn, 10.3 million people nationwide have been hit so badly that they rely on credit cards or other borrowing to pay for everyday living expenses. Once in debt, they may then miss out on regular meals in order to pay off the debts and can often see no way out. Christians Against Poverty offers a unique face to face service offering debt counselling, budgeting advice, creditor negotiation and personal support, enabling clients to work their way out of unmanageable debt.

Web Site: Christians Against poverty

Seals Starfish Club

08.06.2009

Seals Starfish Club offers the opportunity for families with children with physical disabilities, special needs or ongoing complex medical conditions, the chance to have fun and quality family time together in a hydrotherapy pool in the heart of Bristol. The club offers therapy and other sensory stimuli during the session, but also a chance for the whole family to have fun together, which can be a welcome release from daily pressures. The grant of £4,000 secured for two years, will enable the club to provide physio services from September 2009, cover travel costs for those families who currently find it difficult to attend, and the security of knowing that the hire of the pool is secured for next year.

The Rainbow Centre for Children

01.06.2009

The Rainbow Centre is situated in a quiet residential area of Bristol, and provides a haven of peace for children and their families suffering from the effects of a life threatening illness or death in the family. The focus of the Centre is on the well being of children. Art, music and group therapies are all used to explore the children's difficult feelings and fears, thus enabling them to cope with their grief. The recent grant of £2,000 from The Foundation will pay for advertising materials and essential utility costs for the Centre.

Web Site: The Rainbow Centre

Bristol Care and Repair

13.05.2009

Following a recent trustees meeting, the trust awarded £15,718 to Bristol Care and Repair to enable them to purchase a new handyperson van. The multi-skilled handyperson service offers vital assistance to older and disabled people across Bristol. Last year they completed over 8,000 small but essential repairs and adaptations to people's homes thus helping them to live as independently as possible. The new van enables the handyman to hold the tools and spare parts required, he is then able to make the best use of his time rather than continually returning to stock up on parts.

Web Site: Bristol Care and Repair

Whizz-Kidz

05.04.2009

A grant of £6,000 was recently made to Whizz-Kidz to help provide customised mobility equipment, training and advice to disabled children throughout Bristol. Whizz-Kidz is a national charity that improves the quality of life by giving disabled children the independance to live their lives to the full through the provision of mobility equipment, support and training.

Web Site: Whizz-Kidz

InterAct

30.03.2009

At a recent meeting the Foundation granted £2,500 towards InterAct's work in Bristol. InterAct run performing art groups throughout the country for children with special needs and children from low income families. The grant will enable the charity to continue the holiday workshops in Bristol. The workshops are held throughout the summer and help build both skills, self confidence and enable children from many different backgrounds to perform together.

The Princess Royal Trust Carers Centre

25.03.2009

At a recent meeting the Foundation granted £1,500 to The Princess Royal Trust Carers Centre to give support with transport costs. A frequent problem for carers is poor access to transport and, as a result, many carers do not take part in social or support activities which can lead to increased pressure and a sense of isolation. The Carers Centre provides a wide range of services to carers, and supports approximately 5,000 unpaid family carers in the Bristol area.

Web Site: Princess Royal Trust Carers Centre

133rd Bristol (Newfoundland) Scout Group

05.03.2009

At a recent trustees' meeting, the Foundation granted £5,000 to 133rd Bristol (Newfoundland) Scout Group to assist with the costs of running transport to enable Scouts, who would otherwise find it impossible to get to a meeting, to attend. The 133rd Bristol(Newfoundland) Scout Group provides scouting to those who are unable to attend their local Scout Group which may be a result of wheelchair access, or specialist care needed.

Web Site: 133rd Bristol Newfoundland Scout Group

Florence Brown Community School

25.02.2009

Following the November trustees' meeting, £2,500 was granted to The Florence Brown Community School to assist in funding a residential activity trip for the children. The school is a Bristol based special school that works successfully with young people who have a range of complex needs. Work is done on an individual basis with each child depending on their needs.

Web Site: Florence Brown Community School

Victim Support

20.02.2009

In November, the Foundation made a donation of £10,000 towards the ongoing work of the local branch of Victim Support. Last year Victim Support in Avon worked with over 20,000 victims of crime in Bristol. Support is offered to all referred victims by telephone and, for those Victims who need it, a trained volunteer offers ongoing support. In addition the charity supports witnesses of crime and helps applicants who are pursuing Criminal Injuries Compensation. Victim Support also provides specialist support to victims of domestic abuse.

Web Site: Victim Support Avon

Barnardo's Bristol BASE Project

28.01.2009

During the November meeting the trustees awarded Barnardos £25,000 towards the work of Barnardo’s Bristol BASE. The Bristol BASE Project (Barnardo’s Against Sexual Exploitation) works with young people at risk of sexual exploitation or who are being sexually exploited. The project provides a safe environment in which to work with the young people to help them understand their exploitation, promote safety and self-esteem and to raise their aspirations.

Web Site: Barnardo's Bristol BASE Project

Asthma Relief

21.01.2009

In August, the Foundation donated £1,000 to Asthma Relief, which will be used to provide breathing equipment such as nebulisers and air freshening machines within the Childrens Hospital in the City of Bristol. Asthma Relief provides breathing equipment, advice and support to asthma sufferers. As well as placing machines in hospitals, health centres and individual's homes, the charity services and maintains all equipment, provides a 24-hour helpline and raises awareness about the condition via the internet and by giving talks.

Web Site: Asthma Relief

Bristol Old Vic

09.07.2007

The Foundation recently pledged £250,000 to the Bristol Old Vic Theatre, one of the country’s oldest working theatres. As featured widely in the press, the Bristol Old Vic has announced a start date for the £7 million programme of renovation works. The theatre closes on 1 August 2007 for preparation work for the refurbishment which will include new seating, a new air cooling system, lifting of the stalls floor levels for improved stage visibility and installation of disabled lift access as well as structural repairs. To donate towards the £2 million still required please follow the link to their website.

Web Site: Save Bristol Old Vic

John James Blue Plaque

21.03.2006

On 25th July 2006 John James would be 100 years old.
It is fitting therefore that a Blue Plaque was unveiled today on the site of John's birthplace - 96 Philip Street, Bedminster. This is the site now of Windmill Hill City Farm.