The FORUM Issue 7

SPOTLIGHT ON OBESITY: RESEARCH PINPOINTS CAUSES AND EFFECTS

THE FORUM The Magazine of Cambridgeshire Community Foundation (CCF)

Issue 7 Jan - Jun 2019

BOOST FOR THE HIGH SHERIFF’s FUND

HOPKINS HOMES WINTER CRISIS CAMPAIGN

Grants encourage young volunteering

Support for those in need

CAMBRIDGE STREET AID

Get in touch

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OUR NEW CEO Help us improve life for the people of Cambridgeshire Michael O’Toole, CEO of CCF

www.cambscf.org.uk

info@cambscf.org.uk

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Helping people get off, and stay off, the streets

FULLSCOPE

Improving mental health of school children

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Festive shopping – support CCF! If you shop at Amazon did you know you can ask them to make a donation to Cambridgeshire Community Foundation?

It means no additional cost to you. By going to smile.amazon.co.uk, Amazon will donate 0.5% of the net purchase price (exc. VAT, returns and shipping fees) of eligible purchases to your selected charity.

It is easy to select CCF – simply click on the ‘Supporting’ tab in the header and go to ‘change your charity’. Choose the option ‘Or pick your own charitable organisation’ and enter our full name, Cambridgeshire Community Foundation.

Please follow this link: https://smile.amazon.co.uk/ch/1103314-0 Many thanks for your support! Please spread the word and share this with friends & family.

Tell us what you think…

And you could win a £100 donation to your favourite charity.

We hope you enjoy reading The Forum and find it valuable in learning about the work of Cambridgeshire Community Foundation.

We would very much like to hear your feedback so we can keep improving the magazine and its content.

Please fill in this quick survey and let us know your thoughts (you can choose to make your response anonymous). We will select one completed form and offer the contributor a £100 donation to their favourite charity. Please include your name and email address should you wish to enter this draw.

Please use this link in your browser. https://goo.gl/forms/7E7qQ9l20TroeTZq2 Thank you for taking part in this survey.

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Welcome to

THE FORUM WELCOME TO OUR 7th issue of The Forum, the magazine of your Cambridgeshire Community Foundation (CCF). In my first five months as Chief Executive, I have already learnt so much. I’ve had the privilege of meeting dozens of inspiring people, from donors to others who support CCF in different ways. I have met many who have benefited from our grants and are running projects that literally change lives and communities for the better. All seem to share my belief that a thriving community foundation for Cambridgeshire is extremely worthwhile.

I am passionate about the community foundation movement whose purpose is to improve communities and the life chances of disadvantaged people. I want CCF to help make Cambridgeshire a county where we can all share in success, where local philanthropy will be the norm and communities are empowered to help all those in need. There are incredible people brimming with hope and potential who understand how we can bring about positive change. CCF’s role is to connect people, businesses and councils wanting to help with those projects that genuinely change lives.

Thought-provoking studies have made me aware that parts of the county face real adversities. The 2018 report from the Centre for Cities think tank identifies Cambridge as the least equal city in the UK. Research from the government’s Social Mobility & Child Poverty Commission shows Cambridge as a ‘social mobility cold spot’. East Cambridgeshire is described as the 14th worst local authority in England for social mobility. A Consumer Data Research Centre report in 2017 really caught my eye. It showed that people living in one area of Cambridge can expect to live about a decade longer than others living just a few miles away. The reasons behind these findings are complex but with CCF commitment and the generosity that surrounds us we can make positive impact on these issues.

As CEO I am committed to working with donors and voluntary organisations to make our county one where communities flourish and everyone can fulfil their potential. My aim is to look beyond the statistics that appear to show insurmountable, complicated problems and focus on the grassroots charities and organisations working tirelessly to help individuals and families and the generous people who make that possible.

They are my inspiration. I am determined that we will grow CCF so we are able to do more and make more of a difference. Do you share my vision for the community? I’d love to hear from you.

You can follow Michael on Twitter @otoole_michael We would love to know what you think of The Forum.

Please send your comments and suggestions to info@cambscf.org.uk

CEO Michael O’Toole michael@cambscf.org.uk Grants & Communications Manager Marion Carey marion@cambscf.org.uk Operations Manager Viv Atkinson viv@cambscf.org.uk Guest Editor Wendy Dear Contributors Jenna Harron, Olivia Hewkin Design Karen Jinks info@karenjinks.co.uk

Cambridgeshire Community Foundation Hangar One, The Airport, Newmarket Road, Cambridge CB5 8TG Registered Charity 1103314 T: 01223 410535 W: www.cambscf.org.uk E: info@cambscf.org.uk

Printing and distribution by The Villager and Town Life magazines www.villagermag.com

@cambridgeshirecf

Cover photo courtesy of Darren Gunn

@cambscf

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CCF news

4 CHARIOTS OF FIRE runners boost Cambridgeshire Community Foundation (CCF) funds 5 CAMBRIDGE STREET AID works with three Co-op stores across the city to make helping the homeless easier to do

How to support CCF

2 TELL US WHAT YOU THINK Complete our survey about The Forum 6 ABOUT CCF Connecting local people who care with local causes that matter 7 SUPPORT CCF How your company can support the work we do 28 CALL TO ACTION Taking up challenges, becoming a Friend of CCF

Meet our team

8 TRUSTEE PROFILE Alison Griffiths, CCF trustee and Chair of the CCF Finance & Risk Committee 9 TRUSTEE PROFILE Claire Davis, CCF trustee with a love of community 10 DONOR PROFILE Dr Andrew Harter, High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire, and his wife Lily Bacon – supporters of CCF

Funded projects

12 HOPKINS HOMES WINTER CRISIS CAMPAIGN James Hopkins and son Joshua on their £150,000 donation to make winter warmer for some of the most vulnerable 13 THE TAMPON TAX Improving the lives of women and girls using funds generated from VAT on sanitary products

Spotlight on

14 OBESITY A local and worldwide problem that CCF is taking very seriously

THE FORUM Issue 7

Get in touch

what’s inside

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info@cambscf.org.uk

20 MENTAL HEALTH Introducing Fullscope, a collaboration of local charities, aiming to help children and young people with mental health issues

Charitable giving

24 WASTE BENEFITS Corporate donor Amey reaches £5million in community grants 26 PROFESSIONAL HELP CCF CEO Michael O’Toole advises professionals on the most effective way to be philanthropic

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CCF NEWS Chariots of Fire is a runaway success

The High Sheriff and his wife lead the way

Cambridge’s historic Chariots of Fire fundraising event took place on Sunday 16th September and was not only a great day out but also boosted the High Sheriff’s Award Fund by a potential £60,000 – thanks to match funding through the Cambridgeshire Community Foundation (CCF).

The relay race is one of the county’s most popular annual events, organised

by Hewitsons Charitable Trust. Teams of six were sponsored by family, colleagues and friends to run a 1.6-mile relay around the historic heart of Cambridge and the Colleges. Nearly 1,800 runners enjoyed the beautiful route while raising money for the High Sheriff’s Award Scheme which is managed by CCF. It gives grants to encourage young people across the county to take part in local volunteering, supporting projects involving those facing big challenges in their lives. These projects not only bring about positive

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change in the community but help to but help to build the skills and confidence of the young volunteers.

For Dr Andrew Harter CBE, High Sheriff of Cambridgeshire, it was his first ever running race, captaining the ‘High Sheriff’s Posse’ team (it was “brilliant”, he said). “This fund is very important because the grants we give can be life changing for some of our most vulnerable young people who contend with real difficulties which can include poor mental health, bereavement, disability and long-term illness. I was delighted by the amount raised and the impact it will have.”

Dr Harter’s wife Lily Bacon, DeputyLieutenant of Cambridgeshire, captained a team of ‘Fair Maids’. Co-founders of the technology company RealVNC (see more on page 10), they regard volunteering and community engagement as essential to developing

skills and improving self esteem among young people who grow up facing disadvantage.

“The money raised by Chariots of Fire will provide charitable groups throughout the county with the funding, resources and support needed to engage young volunteers,” says Dr Harter.

Michael O’Toole, CEO at CCF, took part in the race as well, captaining the ‘Robin Hood’s Merry Folk’ team. He oversees the High Sheriff’s Award Scheme.

“What I love about this fund is that it helps young people in their own communities to grow their aspirations learn new skills and develop their character and confidence.

With the amazing boost from Chariots of Fire we are now in the happy position of being able to fund many more projects,” he said.

To apply for a High Sheriff’s Award grant, go to www.cambscf.org.uk

Cambridge Street Aid - a Co-operative way of giving council property. Their Street Aid grant completely covered what they owed, and they are now in their first home together.

Six months on, their support worker says that they are doing just fine.

Photograph courtesy of pixabay.com

Cambridge Street Aid, managed by CCF, has two aims. The first is to help people get off, and stay off, the streets. The second is to give donors an alternative to handing money straight to those who appear to live nowhere – a practice which, however understandable in some cases, runs a high risk of making things worse rather than better.

Since its start in December 2016, Street Aid has come to be warmly welcomed by agencies and local people as the ‘go-to’ fund for small grants that make a big impact. Street Aid has huge advantages for anyone wanting to help the homeless. You know your donation will be used as part of a more thorough, structured approach to help people change their way of life. Donations are pooled into grants that are requested by one of the major organisations in Cambridge helping people in this situation.

These groups (voluntary sector or local authority) assess the individual’s circumstances and verify that the person is in need of assistance that cannot be obtained elsewhere. Grants of up to £750 will be paid to the referring agent who applies the money for the purpose agreed.

Street Aid is not normally used for crisis support but offers planned longer, strategic help that will bring about Get in touch

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change. Referring agents consider the medium-long term needs of their clients and make applications accordingly, the core purpose being to encourage someone to get off, or stay off, the streets. And because all Street Aid’s administration costs are covered outside of the fund, you can be sure that every penny you donate goes to helping someone.

CCF are delighted to have agreed a trial with a number of Co-op stores across the city which over the next few weeks allow people to donate to Street Aid rather than giving directly to those on the street.

How Street Aid has helped: (names changed to preserve privacy) Joan and Andrew: Joan had lost two previous tenancies and had spent a long time on the street before going into a Cambridge hostel where she met Andrew.

Both long-term users of street drugs, they learned to support one another, and they became a couple. Wanting a place to call their own where they could be together, Joan and Andy needed to pay off the arrears that were preventing them from getting another chance in a

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Ali: Ali was made homeless when he lost his job - through no fault of his own - and then lost his rented room because he could no longer afford the rent. Finding himself out on the street, Ali got a bed at Jimmy’s assessment centre and from there went to one of Jimmy’s shared houses. Within a month he got himself a new job but he had two problems. The job required that he looked smart so he needed new clothes and as he had to be in work for 6am, before the buses started running, he had to find transport. Ali’s Street Aid grant helped solve both, buying him a new suit and a bike. His support worker noted that looking the part boosted Ali’s self-esteem. He is now well on the way to being able to secure permanent long-term accommodation and ‘with his positive outlook and support from staff I’m sure he will achieve this new goal’.

How to support Cambridge Street Aid: • Text CAMB16 £3 to 70070 to donate £3 to Cambridge Street Aid. Please reply to the Gift Aid text as adding Gift Aid means we can increase the value of your donation by 25% • Visit the Fund page: https://www. justgiving.com/campaigns/charity/ cambridgeshirecommunity/csa • By cheque payable to Cambridgeshire Community Foundation (mark Street Aid), to Cambridgeshire Community Foundation, Hangar One, The Airport, Newmarket Road, Cambridge CB5 8TG • At one of three contactless payment donation points at Co-op’s Burwell, Mill Road and Mitchams Corner stores.

This donation point has been supported by the Co-op Community Fund info@cambscf.org.uk

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About Cambridgeshire Community Foundation (CCF) Connecting local people who care with local causes that matter

Photograph courtesy of freepik.com

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In the first issue of The Forum, in 2017, CCF’s Florence Gildea wrote about working on Vital Signs 2016. The Cambridge she had known as a university student was protected by an ‘academic bubble’, she wrote. The county she discovered several years later through this research revealed a ‘gulf’ between the packaged version bought by students and tourists, and the lived-in reality.

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An area associated with the highest academic standards actually falls well below the national average on many markers of education Florence Gildea, CCF intern

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CCF IS A CATALYST for charitable giving. We provide a personal service to help people invest in their local area.

Individuals, families and companies work with us to give their money, time or skills to help meet the specific needs of many of the most disadvantaged people across Cambridgeshire.

We hope that you will be inspired by reading The Forum and will begin to appreciate the vital role that CCF plays in the county by connecting people who care with local causes that matter. This wouldn’t be possible without the incredible support of those people and companies who believe that charity begins at home and are passionate about helping others.

We use our financial expertise to grow and build donors’ charitable gifts to create a permanent, flexible source of funding for those who need it most, for funding projects that make a real, positive difference.

Our in-depth knowledge of the county comes through our own Vital Signs® research, a programme that has been running in the UK since 2013 and is modelled on an initiative of the Community Foundations of Canada. This annual research takes the pulse of the place we live in, measuring the quality of life and highlighting the county’s priorities and opportunities for action. A big part of our role is to help people who want to make a positive difference in Cambridgeshire to understand the most significant issues so that together we can support approaches to overcome these challenges.

Research addresses nine local themes: fairness, education, economy and employment, health, housing, strong communities, arts, culture and heritage, and environment. The results from this research stimulate discussion and highlight issues of major importance where funding could make a difference. The research enables CCF to match donors’ passions and interests to grassroots projects that are helping tackle key issues and enhancing the lives of those in some of our most disadvantaged communities.

“An area associated with the highest academic standards actually falls well below the national average on many markers of education,” she reported. “Poverty proves to be a tight trap: Cambridge, East Cambridgeshire and Fenland are among the bottom 10% of English local authorities in terms of social mobility prospects of disadvantaged children. It’s a bleak picture of inequality.”

But the upside was that she was able to show donors the difference their grants made to local charities and community groups. “I learned just how much lives can be touched and changed by relatively small sums of money, when given to organisations that engage positively with the most hard-pressed or isolated,” she wrote.

How you can support Cambridgeshire Community Foundation (CCF) Be part of the county’s leading philanthropic group

Corporate partnerships with CCF Our corporate partnerships help companies of all sizes to become actively involved in the communities that are home to their staff and many of their customers.

The best Cambridgeshire businesses are becoming increasingly socially responsible. We work with many incredible companies wanting to support their local community, but often other demands on their time mean they can struggle to respond to all the approaches they receive from local charities. Running their charitable corporate giving through CCF ensures that their good intentions deliver real impact and help those facing the greatest disadvantages.

Here are some ways your company can help Named Fund: ring-fenced to benefit causes and themes important to your organisation. You can choose to restrict your gifts to a geographical area, for example near your company sites, or to particular charitable activities, such as developing the skills of young people. CCF will help guide your focus, promote and seek applications that achieve the biggest impact for people.

For larger, long-term investments in the community, many individuals and corporates choose to set up a named fund as an alternative to establishing their own private trust. The article on page 26 sets out some of the advantages in this approach.

Payroll Giving: registering your company for payroll giving provides your staff with a rewarding, easy and tax-efficient way to make small contributions through their gross salary, on a regular basis. As an employer you can deduct the specified amount before tax. This can have a very positive effect on employee engagement and demonstrates that your company is committed to supporting its staff and the local community.

Donations: some donors just help by offering one off sums or regular smaller amounts. Donations can be made via our justgiving page but please note that justgiving does deduct fees. Fees can be avoided on larger donations so please contact us directly, and we can give you information on how to donate without any deductions.

We also accept cheques (payable to Cambridgeshire Community Foundation). Please post to CCF, Hangar One, The Airport, Newmarket Road, Cambridge CB5 8TG. As a Registered Charity 1103314 we are able to increase the value of your gift by 25% if you confirm you are able to make your donation under “Gift Aid” and provide us with your name and address. A Gift Aid declaration form can be downloaded from our website.

We are also extremely grateful for regular donations. Please contact us so we can give you CCF’s bank details.

Get in touch

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www.cambscf.org.uk

Photograph courtesy of freepik.com

Volunteering with CCF Volunteers: your unique skills and expertise could be just what we need to help more people through a range of opportunities.

We are keen to grow our small team of volunteers who provide support to our grant making, visiting projects and general administration activities.

Trustees: you can also give your time, skills and expertise to CCF as a Trustee. We are always on the look-out for like-minded people with experience and passion. As a Trustee you will have ultimate responsibility for CCF, our finances and staff. The role is immensely rewarding, providing incredible opportunities for personal development and for you to give something back to Cambridgeshire. While you bring your skills and energy to running CCF, you will find you are gaining new connections, experience and knowledge. The role includes: • Helping develop the strategic future of CCF and our impact • Developing and managing our policies and procedures • Ensuring accountability to our beneficiaries, donors, to the Charity Commission and the public in general Work placements: we welcome enquiries from students looking for practical experience working in a charity environment. We offer time-limited projects to help you develop your skills and learn about the work of CCF. If you would like to find out more, please contact our Chief Executive, Michael O’Toole at michael@cambscf.org.uk or call on 01223 410535 for an informal discussion.

info@cambscf.org.uk

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TRUSTEE PROFILE

Alison Griffths Her keen interest in finance and identifying and managing risks makes Alison Griffiths an essential part of the Cambridgeshire Community Foundation (CCF) board. Wendy Dear reports

Alison Griffiths, CCF Trustee

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THE IMPORTANCE OF financial discipline cannot be overstated according to Alison Griffiths who is a trustee of CCF and also chairs its Finance and Risk Committee.

“CCF is part of a national network of accredited Community Foundations across the country, bringing together donors who want to help the local community with projects that make a real difference,” she says. “While it is the responsibility of the CEO to run the foundation in a way that monitors all fund receipts and grants paid out, the Finance and Risk Committee and the Grants Committee work closely alongside to ensure that financial processes are closely monitored.”

Alison, born in Stamford, worked in London for over 20 years and now lives in rural Cambridgeshire. Her introduction to CCF in 2015 was serendipitous. Having just given up paid employment (Group Tax Director for a FTSE 100 multi national car distributor), she met a Cambridge-based headhunter who was looking for someone with a finance background to be a trustee.

“I didn’t know anything about CCF then,” she said, “but I was attracted because it had survived for 10 years, having grown from nothing. I thought it had potential to grow much more and needed more robust finance systems to achieve it.”

At that time there was turbulence in the charity sector because of publicity given to Kids Company which had collapsed despite receiving government grants of at least £42m.

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A report by the House of Commons Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee strongly criticised the charity’s trustees: “If the Trustees had not allowed the charity’s weak financial position to persist for so long, Kids Company would not have been so vulnerable [to the impact of the allegations].

The Board failed to protect the interests of the charity and its beneficiaries, despite its statutory responsibility to do so.”

This was a warning to be heeded by all charities, says Alison.

“As a new trustee, I was very aware of the need for enhanced financial discipline with the increased pressures on charities to be open and forward looking.”

Her experience of other multi-levelled and multi-national organisations has been invaluable. “It enabled me to contribute at Board level to support and guide on projects where CCF staff might not have that wider experience,” she explains.

In the last few years, her financial acumen, organisational and project management skills and human resources experience have helped shape CCF. She reviews the annual budget for running costs, the income earned from running programmes, seeking ways to control administration costs and raise income.

“My aim is to protect our financial viability, so CCF can take on more programmes without always needing to recruit more staff or adding to the overheads. We have a very strong cost control ethic,” she says.

Alison was in at the start of The Forum, designed to share stories and provide information about the county’s innovative philanthropic foundation. Another of her initiatives was a Board assessment programme to ensure that trustees’ skills are different enough to bring complementary insights to CCF’s operations.

This review was part of a three-year accreditation submission, a rigorous process run by the UK Community Foundation network to check the organisation’s performance on strategy, budget, involvement of the Board and trustees, fund development and income raising. “It ensures that CCF is operating at the appropriate level for future stability,” Alison explains.

She was also on the recruitment panel that appointed the new CEO, Michael O’Toole, with whom she now works closely.

She and he both approve of the way that CCF offers donors the opportunity to be involved with their charitable giving programme.

Has being with CCF changed her views on charitable giving?

Yes, she says.

“In the past, I have been a charitable donor to organisations that I have an affinity towards but they were quite faceless.

CCF offers something very different and provides donors with regular and local feedback on the outcomes of their giving,” she says. “It is much more transparent. Our aim now is to grow our income to maximise the level of support we can provide.”

TRUSTEE PROFILE

Claire Davis One of Cambridgeshire Community Foundation’s newest recruits explains to Wendy Dear why she feels at home in the charity world GROWING UP IN a village with a strong sense of community gave Claire Davis a good understanding of how people can work together for the good of all.

Claire was recruited to the role by Simon Humphrey, CCF’s chair of the Board of Trustees, with whom she works at Arm, the technology specialist group in Cambridge. She started in January 2018 and her main focus has been on CCF’s core team.

“Knowing their strengths and their needs helps me to decide what it is that makes CCF a great place to work,” she explains.

As a Director of Human Resources at Arm, one of her priorities is to ensure that the right people are in the right jobs and working well together to achieve great outcomes. She aims to make sure that all feel their contributions count and are motivated to go above and beyond their expectations.

“I have many years’ experience in helping organisations to attract, retain and develop people to deliver even better performance.”

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The extraordinary array of funds managed by CCF offer grants that can be life changing or enable charitable groups to do more. The whole county benefits.

Claire Davis, CCF Trustee

What has impressed her about CCF? “So much!” she says.

“The sheer volume and breadth of work done by such a small team is amazing. Their dedication, effort and energy in connecting donors with great causes, all of which aim to improve lives in our extended community, is outstanding.”

Originally from Staffordshire, Claire lived in London for 12 years before coming to Cambridge two years ago to join Arm. Her sister and family also live here which means she sees more of her niece and nephew. “One of the things I love about the city is that it has a diverse, lovely – and quirky – community.

I’m really enjoying being part of it.”

Has she been able to follow up any of the grants that have been made to see what impact they make?

“I was able to visit the Rowan (Humberstone) project in Cambridge, a charity and art centre for people with learning Get in touch

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disabilities. A number of things struck me when I was there. The centre runs as a business, and commissions for projects come from far and wide and are managed and delivered to schedule.

“The people working there are talented and dedicated. I could see that it was as important finding funding to staff the centre as it is the obtain donations to fund the projects.”

Claire’s day job involves a lot of travel and she spends about one day a month on her trustee role, though she hopes to dedicate more time during this coming year, helping the team grow ever stronger in their drive to support the Cambridgeshire community.

“This is my first experience of being a trustee and I’ve been very lucky to be part of such a professional and thoughtful team.

Each of us has different strengths and views but collectively we care about the kind of community we want to bring to life in Cambridgeshire, making life better for all,” she says.

“The extraordinary array of funds managed by CCF offer grants that can be life changing or enable charitable groups to do more. The whole county benefits.”

info@cambscf.org.uk

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DONOR PROFILE

The Dynamic Duo Jenna Harron discovers more about Cambridgeshire’s High Sheriff and his wife, who just happens to be one of the county’s Deputy Lieutenants

Dr Andrew Harter and Lily Bacon DR ANDREW HARTER and Lily Bacon are partners in life and business who also share a vocation for public service. This year their focus is on charities and the community. Central to this is the High Sheriff’s Award Scheme, operated by CCF, which provides opportunities for young people to learn new skills, develop confidence and make a positive difference to their communities.

In March, Cambridgeshire welcomed a new High Sheriff, the Queen’s Representative for Justice. During his year in office, Andy and Lily will help enrich the community by supporting charities including East Anglia’s Children’s Hospices, of which Lily is a trustee, and CCF, which was the beneficiary of this year’s Chariots of Fire race (see page 4). The High Sheriff’s Award Fund was boosted by an amazing £60,000, part of which was match funded through another CCF fund. The duo’s other substantial fundraising activities include cycling from Peterborough to Cambridge with their two sons, and abseiling down landmark buildings.

What was the background that led Andy to this ancient Royal appointment? Of humble Yorkshire origins, from an early age he was deeply interested in designing and building things. He studied mathematics and later computer science at Fitzwilliam

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and Corpus Christi Colleges at the University of Cambridge, and it is no surprise that he later gained a reputation as a prominent entrepreneur and innovator.

After university, Andy joined the influential AT&T Laboratories where as Director of Research and Engineering he led the development of ground-breaking innovations including the world’s first SmartPhone and VNC, software that allows a computer screen and keyboard to be accessed remotely to provide technical help and assistance. In 2002 he founded RealVNC to commercialise the technology, which has been used in Apple, Intel and Google products. There are over two billion copies of the software worldwide.

For many, this might have enough but for Andy it was a springboard for service to the engineering community at a national level. He is a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering and the Institution of Engineering and Technology, and served as a trustee of both. His contributions have been recognised with a slew of awards and honours, including the Silver Medal of the Royal Academy of Engineering, the Faraday Medal of the Institution of Engineering and Technology and an Honorary Doctorate of Science from Anglia Ruskin University.

Last year he was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the Queen’s birthday honours for services to engineering, and this year he delivered the prestigious Turing lectures across the country.

Closer to home, he is Chair of Cambridge Network, an organisation bringing together thousands of business people, academics and thought leaders through an extensive and diverse programme of events, seminars and courses. Cambridge Network continues to play an important role in sustaining the growth of the high-skill, knowledge-intensive businesses that form the most successful technology cluster in Europe.

But this is just one part of the story, because Lily is herself a distinguished businesswoman and entrepreneur. Cambridge born and bred, she pursued a career that included both law and accounting, and after a time abroad returned to Cambridge to develop business interests. They met some twenty years ago, and joined forces to make a formidable team. Lily was a co-founder of RealVNC, and while Andy was busy innovating, Lily shaped the commercial strategy including the first example of what is now known as crowdfunding. In 2013, these achievements were celebrated with the award of a remarkable third Queen’s Award for Enterprise, the same year that Lily and Andy and three of their colleagues won the MacRobert Award, the UK’s most prestigious award for engineering.

Even more remarkably, they have juggled all of this with bringing up a young family. Lily also manages to run marathons and is Senior Boat Club Captain at St Edmund’s College, where they are both Fellows. And while Andy is this year’s High Sheriff, Lily was last year appointed a Deputy Lieutenant of

Cambridgeshire, a life-long role. What’s more, if they are both officiating at the same event, as has happened on a number of occasions this year, then in a delightful twist, Lily takes precedence.

Both agree that their appointments, unpaid and apolitical, are an honour and a privilege, and both say that the High Sheriff’s Award Fund is an excellent demonstration of how positive change can be achieved. The fund increases participation from young people facing challenges including poor mental health, bereavement and illness, who might not usually take part in social action. Andy values how the fund supports them to help their communities whilst growing their aspirations, learning new skills and developing their character. The fund builds the appetite of young people for volunteering, leaving a legacy of positive activity after the funding ends. Lily says their roles give them a unique window into the lives of people in the community, and that the most significant way that they can make a difference is to simply listen and to help make connections.

Between the personal touch and social mindfulness which Lily provides, and Andy’s acumen for economic growth and organisation, it is a safe wager that they will have a successful and impactful year giving back to the communities of Cambridgeshire.

The couple on official duty in Cambridge

Impact of the High Sheriff’s Fund CCF grants to charitable groups encouraging young volunteers have had heart-warming results.

One group bought equipment and materials for a range of activities for people in care homes. The aim was to befriend the older generation and to arrange get-togethers where they made birthday and Christmas cards.

However, it branched out in an unexpected way. Discovering that bats were now on the danger list and could become extinct, the group decided to build bat boxes to improve the life span and breeding success of the species. The boxes are now in place and creating them is on the workshops’ agenda.

Ten of the young people had not attended out of school arts and crafts workshops like this before and gained skills that can be passed on to others. For 18 of them, their confidence increased so much they went on to join a larger group and lead projects such as helping the older generation to develop IT skills.

Another grant from the High Sheriff’s Award Fund also had an inter-generational aspect. The older people who took part came from local day centres and residential homes. Many of them rarely got out and had little opportunity to spend time with youngsters. But when they met, the young people listened to them and collected their life-enhancing ‘pearls of wisdom’ such as ‘Remember to be happy’, ‘Life is very important’ and ‘Children are the world’s biggest treasure’ and ‘Save for a rainy day.’

A local artist took the phrases to a primary school in Cambridge where the pupils were encouraged to create artworks from them. The older people chose eight of these to be developed into postcards. The finale was an exhibition at the Stir Café in Cambridge where old and young saw how wisdom could be shared and appreciated.

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THE FORUM / Jan - Jun 2019 / 11

Photograph courtesy of pixabay.com

Winter Crisis Campaign Developer makes £150,000 donation to keep some our most vulnerable people warm this winter.

HEAT OR EAT is the unpalatable decision facing many households in our region this winter. The Office for National Statistics estimates that 11% of households in England are in fuel poverty but levels in many parts of East Anglia are even higher.

In light of this, award-winning developer Hopkins Homes has made a major donation of £150,000 to establish the Hopkins Winter Crisis Fund. The fund, managed by the Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire Community Foundations, will seek to alleviate some of the pressures on households as they struggle to keep warm this winter.

Hopkins Homes is renowned for building high quality homes with character and individual style throughout East Anglia.

The company, owned by James Hopkins, achieved the Gold Award for Best Medium Housebuilder at the 2017 national WhatHouse? Awards together with the Silver Award for Best Regeneration Scheme.

The new fund is in addition to the £500,000 Hopkins Charitable Fund which was launched last year. The developer pledged to donate £500,000 over five years to charities and causes in Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire. So far almost £150,000 has been distributed in small grants.

East Anglia has some of the highest levels of fuel poverty in the UK. Fuel poverty is defined as a household that has higher than typical energy costs which would be left with a disposable income below the poverty line if it spent the money required to meet those costs. This leads many of those affected to choose either to ‘heat’ or ‘eat’.

Fuel poverty is distinct from general poverty: not all poor households are fuel poor, and some households would not normally be considered poor but could be pushed into fuel

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poverty if they have high energy costs. Fuel poverty is therefore an overlapping problem of households having a low income and facing high energy costs.

People and families particularly at risk include those facing the challenges of being re-housed, for example having fled an abusive relationship, or rising rents leading to homelessness.

Another contentious factor is the excess of poor quality housing with low energy efficiency ratings that result in higher energy costs.

Fluctuating energy prices, especially for those on fixed incomes (such as pensioners), can push households into fuel poverty. Rural areas that rely on oil to heat homes can experience much greater fluctuations in price than those using regulated energy supplies of gas or electricity.

Joshua Hopkins of the Hopkins Charitable Fund said: “During our work with the community foundations for the Hopkins Charitable Fund it became apparent that there is a major crisis looming this winter.

“It’s estimated that in localised areas of East Cambridgeshire, Huntingdonshire and South Cambridgeshire the percentage of households in fuel poverty reaches levels ranging from 16% to 22.8%. Last winter was a particularly harsh one weather-wise and we could be in for the same again this year. This, in combination with several factors such as the uncertainty around the roll out of universal credit, rising fuel prices, stagnant wages and higher living costs, could result in even more vulnerable people suffering this year.

“The aim of the Hopkins Charitable Fund has always been to support some of the most disadvantaged sections in our communities, but fuel poverty affects many of these groups and

circumstances to ensure those most in need can both heat and eat this winter.

Joshua continues: “The small grants for fuel vouchers and support with bills are one way we feel we can make a huge difference to the difficulties facing many vulnerable individuals in our region this winter. Already we have heard that some of the grant fund has been used to purchase heating oil for a family who have not had any since the summer.

Michael O’Toole, Chief Executive Officer at CCF said: “We are delighted that Hopkins Homes has taken this important step in the fight against fuel poverty in our region. We are expecting this winter to be a particularly difficult one for many households, so this generous donation will make a huge difference to the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in our county.

“We will be working with Hopkins Homes over the next few weeks to ensure that this donation helps as many people as possible in the next few months.”

CCF has been delivering small grants to vulnerable people affected by fuel poverty during the winter months since 2011.

This experience puts the foundation in a strong position to ensure the success of the Hopkins Winter Crisis Fund.

Joshua Hopkins, Hopkins Charitable Fund households and delivering specific support with fuel bills can be challenging. As a result, I am very proud that Hopkins Homes has decided to establish the Hopkins Winter Crisis Fund, the £150,000 fund will be for the explicit provision of assistance with fuel bills and other energy saving measures.”

The fund will be distributed across Cambridgeshire, Norfolk and Suffolk. In Cambridgeshire, coordinated by the Cambridgeshire Community Foundation (CCF) £35,000 worth of grants will be paid out through two delivery channels.

Cambridge Central Aid Society – www.cambridgecentralaid. org/ – will deliver £20,000 of small grants to individuals in crisis to contribute to heating costs and other costs of maintaining a warm home such as carpets and curtains.

In addition, £15,000 of grants will be delivered to organisations supporting vulnerable older people during the winter months, including village warden schemes and day centres. The level of support will be dependent on individual

CAMBRIDGE CENTRAL AID SOCIETY Cambridge Central Aid Society was established in 1880 as the Cambridge Charity Organisation for the relief of poverty amongst Cambridge residents and those within 20 miles of Cambridge.

Behind the formation of this enduring charity was Henry Sidgwick, famous philosopher and economist, and his wife Eleanor. The charity was supported by university colleges and local churches.

The society which took its current name in 1920 provides a rapid response, offering financial help to families and individuals in need with the aim of meeting basic needs to provide some comfort and help maintain the dignity of its beneficiaries. www.cambridgecentralaid.org

Improving the lives of women and girls Support helps them to fulfil their potential THANKS TO THE UK’s network of Community Foundations, funds generated from the VAT on sanitary products are available for projects that seek to make life better for disadvantaged women and girls.

UK Community Foundations received the largest amount – £3.4m – from the government’s latest round of funding (£15m released by the Treasury). CCF is one of the 46 community foundations who are able to support projects which help women and girls whose futures may be jeopardised by factors that are beyond their control.

In Cambridgeshire grants of between £5,000 and £10,000 were available for interventions that raise the aspirations and make a long-term difference to Get in touch

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health, well-being, confidence, social/ economic activity and equality gaps. By finding ways to overcome barriers, girls and women can fulfil their potential.

Priority was given to local organisations established by or led by women and girls – such as registered charities and constituted community groups – to meet core costs of the project or service (though not capital equipment).

Successful applicants were able to demonstrate how their plan meets one or more of the priority areas that benefit women and girls. For example, it may aim to get them into or back into work, create or develop peer networks or raise awareness about health problems to which women and girls may be susceptible.

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One important focus of the Tampon Tax Community Fund is preventative work to reduce the risk of crisis at different life stages and promote resilience and selfreliance. An example of this is a project aimed at vulnerable females between the ages of 12 (approximately when menstruation begins) and 18, adulthood, who experience difficulties such as low confidence, mental health issues, poverty, homelessness and teenage pregnancy.

The purpose would include helping to raise their horizons and to encourage them in education, employment or training.

THE FORUM / Jan - Jun 2019 / 13

SPOTLIGHT ON...

Local needs VITAL SIGNS® REPORT 2018 Cambridgeshire Community Foundation (CCF)’s interim Vital Signs report for 2018 focuses on childhood obesity, particularly within the Unitary Authority of Peterborough

Methodology

Goals for this report

The Vital Signs programme has been running in the UK since 2013 and is modelled on an initiative started by the Community Foundations of Canada. The goal of Vital Signs is to take the pulse of our community, to measure the quality of life and to highlight the county’s priorities and opportunities for action.

Existing statistical data is combined with the results of a community consultation survey to offer a picture of what life is like in Cambridgeshire (including Peterborough), formed from a combination of solid evidence and personal reflections.

A Vital Signs report is published annually, with a long report published every three years covering nine themes: fairness; education; economy and employment; health; housing; safety; strong communities; arts, culture and heritage; and environment.

Brief interim reports addressing one or two themes are published in the intervening two years.

The data included has primarily been taken from local and national government sources, think tanks and charitable bodies.

The information is considered accurate as of 2018. If you have any queries or believe any information in this report to be incorrect, please contact info@cambscf.org.uk.

• • • • •

Highlight how Peterborough performs compared with the rest of Cambridgeshire and with the UK as a whole.

Uncover trends within Peterborough and see how these compare with Cambridgeshire.

Inform community philanthropists about local issues and opportunities.

Start conversations with people who can support community philanthropy.

Set priorities and identify opportunities for funding.

Background The government’s plan for action on childhood obesity states that the United Kingdom as a whole continues to experience rising levels of obesity in both children and adults. Weight gain is complex in nature with factors such as the environment, socioeconomic status, deprivation, gender and ethnicity all impacting on how, why and when people gain weight.

Public Health England data from 2018 showed Peterborough continued to be in the 20% most deprived areas of the country which is in stark contrast to Cambridgeshire which is in the least 20%. Peterborough also has significantly more children under 16 living in low income families –19% – compared to 11% in Cambridgeshire. Life expectancy for both men and women in Peterborough is lower than the England average.

Public Health England figures suggest deprivation significantly increases a child’s risk of becoming obese. Children living in the most deprived areas are twice as likely to be obese at the age of 5 and 3 times as likely by the age of 11 compared to other areas. According to the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, research has consistently shown deprivation is linked with low parental education attainment. This is seen as a contributing factor in developing life skills such as cooking, and knowledge around the need to make healthy lifestyle and diet choices.

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This report covers the geographical area served by Cambridgeshire Community Foundation: the five districts which make up the county of Cambridgeshire and the Unitary Authority of Peterborough.

The estimated population of Cambridgeshire, including Peterborough is 830,279.

The county covers an area of 3,390 square km, making it the 15th largest of the 48 ceremonial counties in England.

SPOTLIGHT

Childhood obesity The Obesity Health Alliance says that childhood obesity has continued to rise over the last decade.

Current national figures show no signs of it slowing with more than 1 in 5 children in reception class being obese or overweight.

This figure rises to 1 in 3 by the time they reach the last year of primary school.

Peterborough

23.2%

Cambridgeshire

18.5%

of 4-5 year old children are classed as overweight or obese

27.1%

of 4-5 year old children are classed as overweight or obese

36.8%

of 10-11 year olds are classed as overweight or obese

of 10-11 year olds are classed as overweight or obese

National average

22.6%

of 4-5 year old children are classed as overweight or obese

34.2%

of 10-11 year olds are classed as overweight or obese (Statistics according to Public Health England)

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THE FORUM / Jan - Jun 2019 / 15

SPOTLIGHT

Causes of childhood obesity FOOD Obesity is caused through prolonged imbalance between calories consumed and calories used over a length of time.

As adults we have a level of control over our dietary choices whereas children are reliant on their parents and carers to make these decisions for them.

Increased consumption of processed foods which contain high levels of saturated fats, sugars and salt are known to cause weight gain. It’s also known that there are significant proportions of the child and adult population that don’t consume the recommended daily amount of fruit and vegetables.

Percentage of 15 year olds who consume the recommended daily allowance of fruit and vegetables Cambridgeshire

Peterborough

National average

55.8% 50.1% 52.4%

(Statistics according to NHS)

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY As well as the nutritional choices made, the amount of physical activity undertaken is also known to increase chances of experiencing weight gain. Advances in technology, modern daily lives and changes in the physical environment now mean we’re leading far less active lives than in the past.

Percentage of 15 year olds physically active for at least one hour per day seven days a week in 2014/15 Cambridgeshire 11.9% Peterborough 12.7% England average 13.9%

Percentage of 15 year olds with a mean daily sedentary time in the last week over 7 hours per day in 2014/15 Cambridgeshire 68.5% Peterborough 71.3% England average 70.1% (Statistics according to Public Health England)

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SPOTLIGHT

Effects of childhood obesity PHYSICAL HEALTH In Year 6, 22.6% (524) of children in Peterborough are classified as obese, worse than the average for England. The rate of alcohol-specific hospital stays among those under 18 is 37 per 100,000 population. This represents 18 stays per year. Levels of teenage pregnancy, GCSE attainment and breastfeeding initiation are worse in Peterborough than the England average.

Being overweight or obese is known to increase the risk of developing a number of diseases and health conditions including Type 2 diabetes, cancer, cardiovascular and liver disease as well as some debilitating orthopaedic problems.

Obesity is also seen as a significant contributing factor in the increasing levels of tooth decay in children and young people.

Peterborough Prevalence of diabetes

6.5% Cambridgeshire Prevalence of diabetes

National average Prevalence of diabetes

5.5%

6.4%

Diseases traditionally seen in the older population are now frequently seen in the younger generations due to the rise in prevalence of childhood obesity. Diseases such as Type 2 diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular diseases are known to cause early mortality. The earlier a person develops these diseases the greater their risk of early mortality.

The mortality rate from cardiovascular disease per 100,000 population in under 75s is 62.2 in Cambridgeshire and 79.7 in Peterborough compared to a national average of 73.5 Get in touch

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THE FORUM / Jan - Jun 2019 / 17

SPOTLIGHT EMOTIONAL WELL-BEING Physical and mental health are inextricably linked, it is therefore not surprising that as obesity increases the risk of various physical conditions it also has an impact on a person’s mental and emotional well-being.

According to the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Emotional Well-being and Mental Health Strategy for Children and Young People 2014-2016, nationally 1 in 10 children and young people aged 5 - 16 suffer from a diagnosable mental health disorder - that is around three children in every class at any one time. Between 1 in every 12 and 1 in 15 children and young people up to the age of 25 years deliberately self-harm and around 25,000 are admitted to hospital every year due to the severity of their injuries.

Peterborough

Cambridge City

The estimated number of children and young people with a diagnosable mental health problem aged 5-10 years is

The estimated number of children and young people with a diagnosable mental health problem aged 5-10 years is

1,331 The estimated number of children and young people with a diagnosable mental health problem aged 11-17 years is

1,864

640 The estimated number of children and young people with a diagnosable mental health problem aged 11-17 years is

942

According to the Mental Health of Children and Young People in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough a Summary of Needs 2017, the rate of hospital admissions for self-harm in 10 to 24-year olds is significantly greater than the England average.

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SPOTLIGHT EDUCATIONAL ATTAINMENT A child’s emotional and social development can have a significant impact on how they experience their daily school life. Factors such as feelings of inclusion, peer acceptance and being physically able to join in games and activities all influence how settled and happy a child is in educational settings.

Peterborough

53.7% Cambridgeshire

of children receiving free school meals achieve a good level of development

National average

47.9%

56%

of children receiving free school meals achieve a good level of development

of children receiving free school meals achieve a good level of development

Vital Signs® is a community philanthropy guide from your local community foundations, measuring the vitality of our communities, and identifies significant trends in a range of areas critical to quality of life. Vital Signs® is supported by UK Community Foundations.

The Vital Signs® trademark is used with permission from Community Foundations of Canada, our partner and supporter in Vital Signs®.

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THE FORUM / Jan - Jun 2019 / 19

Mental health in Cambridgeshire

The Fullscope Plan A collaboration of Cambridgeshire charities is on a mission to improve the level of support for children and young people (aged from 0 to 25) to address their mental health problems and emotional wellbeing.

Wendy Dear reports

“

We are hearing more and more in the media and general conversation about mental health and this is helping to break down the stigma surrounding it

“

Simon Humphrey, Sustainability Senior Manager, Arm

Photograph courtesy of Louis Sinclair Photography FULLSCOPE WAS A long time in the making, its conception and growth propelled by emerging and alarming statistics about children and young people in contact with mental care services.

In 2016, one in 10 children, between 5 and 16, were known to have a diagnosable mental health disorder – the equivalent of three children in every classroom across the country. Of the quarter of a million children so assessed, 8% were of primary school age (5 to 10), rising to 12% among those of secondary school age (11 to 16).

Of the population of Cambridgeshire and Peterborough it is estimated that there are currently 216,885 children and young people aged between 5 and 24 needing help, with the number due to rise by 10.3% by 2021. Of the 152,561 young people aged from 11 to 25, it is estimated that 24,000 have a diagnosable mental health problem.

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For local business leaders, the probable numbers involved brought into sharp focus what the impact might be on the employment market in the future.

Research also revealed that 300,000 people with a long-term mental health problem lose their jobs each year, a much higher rate than those who might have physical health conditions.

The cost of poor mental health to Government is between £24billion and £27billion which includes costs in benefits, reductions in tax revenues and costs to the NHS. For the economy as a whole the cost of poor mental health is put at between £74billion and £99billion.

With this increasingly difficult problem growing in full view, Simon Humphrey, Sustainability Senior Manager at Arm, a Cambridge-based multinational technology company, was one who saw the need for intervention. Part of his role at Arm is to attract future employees and to motivate existing employees as

well as to support the communities in which Arm operates. Mental health issues had to be dealt with – by high quality, accessible and timely support for more children and young people and for those at particular risk of developing mental health problems who are currently not best served.

To highlight the gravity and importance of the situation, in October 2017 together with Cambridge Live he organised an evening of music, comedy and mindfulness which was attended by over 250 people representing Cambridgeshire communities, education, businesses, statutory agencies and civic society (see issue 5, page 26).

From this came Fullscope, an initiative to take place in schools and community settings across the county to raise the mental health and resilience of young people and prepare them for a successful future. It brought together a steering group of charities whose spanned delivery covered ages 0-25: Arts & Minds, Blue Smile, Cambridge Curiosity and Imagination, Centre 33, CPSL/Mind, The Kite Trust and the YMCA. An expanded membership will be sought in the future but for the developmental stage it was kept to a manageable number.

Gavin Clayton, Executive Director of Arts & Minds, took on the task of finding funding for the development phase, to Working together The framework which will underpin how the different charities work together was devised with input from local community consultancy, taproot. Juliet Snell, consultant for the company, explained: “We know that children, young people and families want services that work together as a system, rather than having to navigate a complicated patchwork of provision. Fullscope offers a great opportunity, striving to be joined up and coherent, while celebrating and maximising the diversity and choice that is so valued about the voluntary and community sector.”

“ run a pilot scheme across two Academy Trust groups and a range of community settings. The cost for the three-year pilot phase is approximately £800,000.

“We are progressing with a Big Lottery Fund application for around half of that total, and so are still in there with a chance,” he said. “At present we have £50,000 – half from Arm and half from Norfolk and Norwich Festival Bridge which is an Arts Council funder.

“If we are to achieve the aims of this collective endeavour and influence future service design and commissioning in the way we would like to then we are going to need support from the corporate sector of Cambridgeshire. It is, after all, investing in their future workforce.”

There has been a lot of interest expressed in the Fullscope plan, and the group has agreed that research/ evaluation is integral to its success. The aim is to build the pilot delivery up over three years and a framework of criteria, regarding the way the different charities will be involved, is being drawn up by a consultant who is a former CEO of Centre 33.

Simon, who is also Chair of the Cambridgeshire Community Foundation’s Board of Trustees, has expanded

Simon Humphrey, Gavin Clayton, Executive Director of Arts & Minds

“

Gavin Clayton, Executive Director of Arts & Minds, photograph courtesy of Louis Sinclair Photography

If we are to achieve the aims of this collective endeavour and influence future service design and commissioning in the way we would like to then we are going to need support from the corporate sector of Cambridgeshire

Fullscope is in it for the long term and the collective at present does not expect that statutory partners will be in a position to commission its implementation in the near future.

“We will fully evaluate the pilot phase and present the findings to health and education authorities,” explains Gavin, “ but we are working to secure corporate sponsors. Hopefully in the future the statutory sector will be in a position to commission our programme when central government increases funding for education and health.”

Arts & Minds (see issue 6, page 14) has been to the fore in helping people deal with the effects of mental health problems through its Arts on Prescription workshops which offer creative and stimulating activities to adults with mental health problems including anxiety and depression.

Arts & Minds obtained funding from Cambridgeshire County Council to run an extended pilot scheme of Arts on Prescription in 12 secondary schools. Research from that pilot will help Fullscope plan some of their future projects (training, counselling, artwork, for example) which will involve children, young people, parents, carers and teachers.

“We will be learning from the people themselves, from those who need and will benefit most from these projects in 2019/2020,” said Gavin.

Arm’s reach in schools with employees mentoring and engaging with students.

He designed Arm’s Industrial Cadet accredited work experience programme for experiences of industry in science, technology, engineering and maths – known as STEM disciplines – for which he received a top award in 2018 presented to him by HRH The prince of Wales (see issue 6, page 19). The Changemaker Award is given to an individual who has made a significant and impactful difference to support the success of the Industrial Cadets initiative, sponsored by the Institute of Engineering and Technology (IET).

He has worked with Gavin to create a group that will have a positive effect on young people as students and will benefit them in the world of work.

“We are hearing more and more in the media and general conversation about mental health and this is helping to break down the stigma surrounding it,” said Simon. “But we are in a crisis and Fullscope is an essential Arts on Prescription in action at school, photograph part of the solution.” courtesy of Sheila Ceccarelli - AccessArt

‘Action for Children’ survey During 2018, the charity asked 5,555 young people aged between 13 and 15 across the UK to answer 20 questions about their feelings. Replies showed that 1,840 were found to have an issue: the most common were depression, pressure from school work and social media, restless sleep, anxiety and inability to focus.

Julie Bentley, Action for Children’s Chief Executive, said pressure from schoolwork and social media can help explain the high prevalence of mental health problems which were more widespread than previous research had revealed. “Young people are increasingly concerned about their futures as they become more aware of the political environment around them.”

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THE FORUM / Jan - Jun 2019 / 21

CCF and mental health grants The 2014 and 2016 Vital Signs reports both highlighted mental health as a cause for concern in Cambridgeshire. The first action taken as a result was the launch of the Restart Programme in October 2014 supported by several existing CCF donors including Birketts LLP, Microsoft Research Ltd and Ridgeons.

In the next 12 months over £60,000 of Restart grants went to local projects aiming to teach new skills, offer sports and other activities, provide counselling, therapy and support for people struggling with mental health issues.

Citizens’ Advice Bureau in Cambridge in 2015 reported on food bank claimants referred to the city’s food bank for food or fuel vouchers, identifying links between deprivation and damage to mental and physical health. The report covered 274 households and suggested that 31% receiving assistance were affected by poverty and mental health issues.

Since the Restart Programme was launched 177 grants totalling more than £287,000 have been awarded to local organisations working to support people with mental health problems.

A grant of £31,000 was awarded from the Innovate and Cultivate Fund, managed by CCF on behalf of Cambridgeshire County Council, to the Resilience Group. This is a collaboration of three charities – Blue Smile, Cambridge Family Mediation Service, and Relate Cambridge – whose objective is to relieve pressure on County Council services

Ridgefield Primary School Therapy Room, Blue Smile

by providing whole family intervention in high needs communities to prevent crisis situations developing. Funding was awarded to deliver parenting wellbeing programmes, alongside therapeutic support for children in order to strengthen families.

health difficulties and those affected by distressing emotional happenings such as bereavement and bullying. On the other side will be the higher entry services such as Cambridgeshire & Peterborough Foundation Trust and NHS services which work through GPs.

How will fullscope work?

Fullscope will act as the children’s and young people’s Mental Health & Wellbeing voice for the voluntary sector agencies across Cambridgeshire.

It will operate alongside CHUMS, a social enterprise with charitable status which was spun out of the NHS and receives about 3,000 referrals a year for children with mild to moderate mental

To find out more about Fullscope or to be part of its future contact Gavin Clayton, Executive Director, Arts & Minds, 01223 353053, or via the website www.artsandminds.org.uk

Partners In Fullscope Arts and Minds

Registered charity No 1122845 Cambridge based arts and mental health charity delivers art interventions that support prevention and early intervention for mental health problems, with a strong focus on sustained recovery and selfmanagement. Their Arts on Prescription programme for children and young people is based on the successful adult model and has featured in a local Tier 4 children and families unit. A&M believe they can help meet the challenges in this region where 45% of children and young people who are referred for statutory mental health provision receive none at all.

Blue Smile

Registered charity No 1139279 County-wide charity that provides expert arts-based, longer term therapy and mentoring in schools to improve the mental health and emotional wellbeing of children aged 3 to 13. In Partner Schools they provide a team of therapists and mentoring counsellors for a whole day each week, seeing 16 children one-to-one on a weekly bases. They are currently supporting 200 children a week and 36 schools.

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Cambridge Curiosity and Imagination Registered charity No 1126253

CCI collaborates with children (from 2 to 11) and their disadvantaged communities across the county, co-creating imaginative and thoughtful ways to explore the world they live in, developing their capabilities to care about themselves and each other. The Cities Outlook Report 2017 found: “Cambridge City is the fifth worst city in the UK for children’s life chances if born into poverty”.

Centre33

Registered charity No 1074974 A young people’s charity that has been working in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough for over 35 years supporting young people (up to age 25) to be emotionally healthy, be employed or in meaningful education/training, have improved financial situations, be sexually healthy and be safely housed. They work with young carers to reduce the negative impact of their caring responsibilities offering respite and one-to-one support young. They have a counselling service in 14 secondary schools, providing a safe place for the young people to share their feelings and finding ways to overcome their distress. Centre 33’s ‘Someone to talk to’ (free and confidential) service is primarily delivered at their five main hubs (Cambridge, Peterborough, Ely, Wisbech and Huntingdon) but can also work within communities (libraries, GP surgeries etc).

The Kite Trust

Registered charity No 1097096 The county’s leading organisation working with lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT+) young people aged from 13-19 (80%) to 20-25 (20%). They provide one-to-one, group work and training and are experiencing constant growth in the numbers they work with and the number of groups they run in Ely, Huntingdon and Wisbech. In 2017 they started the flagship project The Rainbow Flag, funded by the Department for Education. One of four groups nationally delivering a whole school model to help combat HBT bullying. They encourage members to become volunteers – in 2017 young volunteers contributed 190.5 hours of their time to the Kite Trust.

Mind/CPSL

Registered charity No 265087 Works across Cambridgeshire, Peterborough and South Lincolnshire, providing a wide range of services to support the mental wellbeing of residents. They deliver the nationally recognised Mental health First Aid (MHFA) courses and have developed bespoke programmes to meet the specific needs of local schools and colleges. They lead the county-wide campaign Stop Suicide and run an out-of-hours crisis service. Working with Cambridgeshire County Council, Mind/ CPSL has an early intervention campaign, designed with and promoted by young people, called Stress LESS which promotes positive coping strategies.

YMCA

Registered charity No 1069810 An inclusive Christian movement transforming communities so that all young people can belong, contribute and thrive. Has a ‘menu of services’ designed to offer schools and partners a range of methods to improve the physical, emotional and psychological wellbeing of young people aged 5-18. From April 2015 to December 2017, 60 schools and 620 young people were supported and 100% of schools saw an overall improvement as a result of YMCA’s therapeutic interventions.

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THE FORUM / Jan - Jun 2019 / 23

How the community benefits from waste The Amey Community Fund was established by Cambridgeshire Community Foundation (CCF) in 2008 and since then £5million has been awarded to community projects that benefit everyone. Wendy Dear and Olivia Hewkin report

24 / Jan - Jun 2019 / THE FORUM

“

As a waste management facility we understand the impact on the community and wish to give back Chris Smiles, Account Director, Amey

“

IT IS A FACT that waste is a huge problem of modern times, from what we throw away everyday to the vast build-up of plastic in the oceans that endangers life forms, large and small.

Solutions to tackle it are sought worldwide. And it affects all our communities where we have come to expect good quality public services, from clean streets to refuse collections and recycling – all of which are priorities for Amey’s environmental services in Cambridgeshire.

The Amey flagship facility at Waterbeach is a 400 acre Waste Management Park which has capacity for mechanical biological treatment (MBT) and a materials recycling facility (MRF). The park handles 400,000 tonnes of waste, of which 58% is diverted from landfill – not regarded as an ideal solution for waste disposal.

In 1996, the government introduced a landfill tax which aimed to discourage waste ending up as landfill and to promote more environmentally sustainable disposal methods. At the same time it made a portion of the tax liability available to community and environment organisations to offset negative impacts of living within 10 miles of a landfill site. From this the Amey Community Fund began.

CCF’s relationship with local company Donarbon began in 2008. Donarbon was acquired by AmeyCespa two years later and the Spanish owned waste company continues to work with CCF distributing grants.

The Amey Community Fund is an innovative scheme for non-profit organisations in Cambridgeshire (it does not include

Peterborough) to improve their surroundings. The fund awards grants with three objects: provision, maintenance or improvement of a public park or other general public amenity (something that makes the environment more pleasant or comfortable); conservation of a specific species or specific habitat where it naturally occurs; restoration of a place of religious works or of historic or architectural interest which is open to the general public.

How do you find out if your plan would be eligible for help?

Submit an expression of interest to CCF via the website www.cambscf.org.uk/amey-community-fund.html Opposite you can read about some of the 248 projects that have been funded to date.

Cottenham Community Centre is a converted Methodist Chapel in the heart of the village. It has a successful café, run by volunteers, which is also a community cinema once a month, and there are other rooms which allow a range of activities, from Pilates and keep fit to dancing and life drawing classes. In 2010 the centre received a grant of £10,000 to redesign the front entrance and install accessible toilets. In 2018 a second grant for £25,000 allowed improvements to the kitchen and rear toilets which will expand the options at the popular community centre.

Milestone celebration In May, 26 groups gathered at the Waterbeach Waste Management Park to celebrate reaching £5m awarded in grants.

Amey’s Account Director Chris Smiles spoke of the importance of the Fund and its significance. “As a waste management facility we understand the impact on the community and wish to give back,” he said.

Jane Darlington, CEO of Cambridgeshire Community Foundation when the fund started in 2008, highlighted the geographical spread of the 248 projects around the county.

The recipients were asked to talk about their projects and what effect the support from the Amey Community Fund had on their organisations.

Alison Giles from Burwell Museum explained how they were able to restore the Grade ll listed tower mill (pictured above).

Now preserved from further decay, it has been reopened to the public. “Over 600 people came to our opening weekend,” she said. The next stage is to work on the windmill so that it can once again be used when the wind is blowing.

St Peter and St Paul’s Church, Dry Drayton, received two grants from Amey. The first was to repair the floor of the nave and tower, render the walls and introduce moveable seating to create a community space for the village. The second grant funded sewerage works. “We were able to do work we’d been planning for years,” said David Gardiner. “Now it is a wonderful space and all sorts of use has been made of it by the community.”

Christine Knight from Meldreth Tennis Club said the grant to resurface the courts transformed the club. “We went from having 32 members to 110, including children who we’d never involved before. It was just amazing.”

Get in touch

01223 410535

www.cambscf.org.uk

Rowan is an art centre for people with learning disabilities, based in Cambridge City. A grant from Amey for £40,000 was used to reconfigure and improve the arts and crafts studios making them more accessible to users with profound disabilities, and also to the general public outside their regular opening hours for classes and events.

About Amey Amey started in 1921 in Oxfordshire as an infrastructure support service provider. Today it is a conglomerate, owned since 2003 by the Spanish Ferrovial which took over CESPA, the second largest operator in street cleaning and solid waste management in Spain, at the same time. Amey bought the Waterbeach site from Donarbon in 2010, and the waste management park has grown from that.

They also run nine recycling centres in Cambridgeshire. With Cambridgeshire County Council they have an information service for schools and community groups, either through on-site education at Waterbeach or by taking recycling messages to the classroom.

For gardeners there is free soil conditioner produced through composting processes for self collection at the Waterbeach park

info@cambscf.org.uk

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Professional advisors and charitable giving Is setting up a charitable trust the best option?

CAMBRIDGESHIRE COMMUNITY FOUNDATION (CCF) works with professional advisors to provide a fully inclusive offer to help you meet your clients’ charitable goals and exceed their expectations in terms of the range of options available to them.

As professional advisors, you know that many of your clients are interested in how they can share some of their wealth to support their own communities. There is certainly a welcome growing interest to learn more about philanthropy and effective charitable giving and the options available. Good advice in this area is important.

Whether you are a lawyer, accountant, financial planner or investment advisor, by combining your expertise with our experience in advising on philanthropy, we can ensure that your clients’ charitable giving achieves maximum impact. We provide a range of options for private clients who are interested in: • Leaving a legacy or gift in their Will • Transferring the burden of running a charitable trust • Setting up a personal fund • Setting up an ‘In memoriam’ fund Is setting up a new charitable trust the right option? Not always. CCF is an ideal vehicle for philanthropists to provide structure to their giving in a tax efficient way and we offer a flexible alternative to creating conventional charitable trusts or a foundation, which can prove complicated and costly to set up and administer. The administrative and governance burden on trustees of running a conventional charitable trust is ever increasing which, understandably, can be off-putting to many clients.

We offer a practical alternative, making charitable giving to local causes stress free, easy and enjoyable for clients, whether the amounts they set aside are large or relatively modest.

Whether your client is looking to establish a named family fund through a lifetime donation or a legacy in their Will or wishes to reduce the administrative burden of an existing trust, we can work with you and your client to find the best solution.

By working with CCF, you and your clients can benefit in several ways: • We are local – your clients’ funds will be used to support the local community in which they live and work. They can visit projects and see the positive impact that their charitable giving achieves.

• We are impartial – you may be reluctant to recommend specific charities to your clients for reasons of impartiality.

We do not favour any one particular cause or theme.

• We are flexible – with a named family fund, your clients choose the causes they wish to support. Grants can be made to charitable causes and not just registered charities. Clients can change their focus at any time, so they can respond quickly to emerging social need. Clients can be involved as little or as much as they like in the grant making process.

• We are responsive – we can set up a named fund after one meeting rather than waiting several months or longer to register as a charitable trust.

• We make giving easy – we promote the fund, invite and

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review applications, undertake due diligence to check that the applicant’s project fits the fund’s charitable objectives.

We arrange the grant payment and undertake monitoring to ensure the money has been spent properly and to measure the impact it has made.

We are knowledgeable – we have an excellent knowledge of local community need and can match your clients’ interests to specific projects, causes and initiatives.

Your clients decide which projects to support – we encourage donors to be involved in decision making about funding but responsibility lies with the trustees of CCF. We help clients give tax-effectively – as a registered charity we enable tax effective giving, offering significant tax benefits for your clients including relief from income tax, capital gains tax, inheritance tax and corporation tax. We can also accept gifts in cash, shares, land, property or other assets tax efficiently.

We are here to stay – if a client leaves a legacy in a Will today, it is possible that the charity or cause they wanted to fund is no longer in existence by the time their Will comes into effect. With a named fund, our trustees have discretion over the distribution of gifts left to them. We can ensure that the original intentions of your client are carried out without having to approach the Charity Commission for a variance of the original deeds of a trust or intentions in a Will.

We are transparent – we ask for a contribution towards our costs for managing a fund which varies depending on the size and type of fund and we agree this, up front, with donors. We operate with a very low overheads, which means that more money can go out in grants to the community.

We carry the financial and legal responsibilities – setting up a personal charitable trust can be time consuming and costly to establish and administer. The onus on trustees is increasing; to ensure regulations are followed in grant making, to meet the stringent needs of accounting requirements under SORP as well as the independent scrutiny of the accounts. With a named fund at CCF all these responsibilities lie with our trustees.

Above all, our offering is personalised and very flexible, so we are able to find a solution that meets your clients’ needs and expectations, thus strengthening your relationship with them.

Dormant and Ineffective Trusts Many private charitable trusts become dormant because they have difficulty identifying beneficiaries, or because the trustees and founders find the administration and responsibility of running a charity too onerous. A dormant trust’s funds can be revitalised by being released to CCF, where they can be used to support areas of greatest need across Cambridgeshire.

To find out more about how we can work in partnership with professional advisors please email Michael O’Toole michael@ cambscf.org.uk or contact by phone on 01223 410535

How a trust and a CCF fund compare

Here you can see the differences between a Fund established through

CCF with an independently registered charitable trust

SET-UP PROCEDURE

SETTING UP A CHARITABLE TRUST ESTABLISHING A FUND THROUGH CCF

Must register as a charity and apply to the Charity Simple fund agreement.

Commission. Must appoint a Board of Trustees.

COSTS

Cost likely to be from £1,000.

No start-up fees or costs. Annual cost contribution of 1-2% of fund value.

TIME FRAME

May take weeks or months.

Can be set-up within 24-48 hours.

INVESTMENT, AUDIT ACCOUNTING AND TAX

Tax status covered by registration with the Charity Commission. Must fulfil financial and administrative requirements and may incur professional fee costs.

We handle all financial and administrative management, arrange audit and report to the Charity Commission. Tax status is covered under CCF’s charity status.

REPORTING TO AUTHORITIES

Donor/trustees must maintain all financial records, prepare accounts, and submit to the Charity Commission.

We take care of reporting to the Charity Commission, particularly the Annual Report and Accounts.

GRANTMAKING PROCESS, ADMINISTRATION AND FOLLOW UP

Donor responsible for own grantmaking process, administration and overseeing. Must research and check activities and status of all recipient organisations; has ultimate say in all grant decisions.

Professional staff available to help identify and assess grantees, provide input on community needs, and ensure follow up with recipients and reports back to donor. CCF verifies activities and status of all potential grantees. Donors can be involved as much or as little as they choose in the grant making process. CCF Trustees’ approval is required for all grants.

PHILANTHROPY ADVICE

Donor/Trustees responsible for own giving strategy.

We provide full charitable giving and grantmaking know-how to ensure the donor maximises the impact of their fund.

DONOR CONTROL

Donor appoints Board of Trustees to control all aspects of grant making and investment.

Trustees of CCF take on legal and fiscal responsibility for the donor’s fund, while the donor chooses grants to organisations vetted by CCF.

DONATIONS

Often restricted to registered charities.

To both registered charities and non-registered community groups.

PRIVACY

The Charitable Trust must keep public records.

Anonymity of donor can be maintained if desired.

If the donor wishes, CCF can serve as a mediator between donor and grant seekers.

PROFILE

Responsible for own profile.

We can help the donor as much or as little as necessary. We can raise the donor’s profile in the community by making grants in the donor’s name and featuring the donor in publications.

GEOGRAPHY

Donor/Trustees determine their geographical reach.

CCF operates across Cambs but partners with other UK Community Foundations on the delivery of regional and national initiatives which may be of interest to donors.

NETWORKING

Must find own network and information sources.

We connect donors to a variety of groups and issues in the community and connect like-minded donors through events and initiatives.

Get in touch

01223 410535

www.cambscf.org.uk

info@cambscf.org.uk

THE FORUM / Jan - Jun 2019 / 27

Call to action Cambridgeshire Community Foundation (CCF) provides a quality service to the community but we cannot do this without your support.

Friends of CCF This is a new scheme we have just launched. CCF, like other charities, can only exist with your support to do its work.

Becoming a Friend of CCF gives you the opportunity to support Cambridgeshire communities in a simple but effective way.

Friends of CCF make an annual gift, starting from £50 a month. By joining with us to make a difference across Cambridgeshire and to help those less fortunate you will: • Demonstrate your support for your local community • Support the development of Cambridgeshire Community Foundation • Help us to help Cambridgeshire communities, including the most vulnerable and disadvantaged • Receive thanks on our website and elsewhere • Attend events and meet the people you helped and connect with other Friends • Receive regular news about our work and a quarterly CEO email update • If you’re a business, use our Friends of CCF logo And if you are a taxpayer remember, that Gift Aid could add 25% to your donation!

The Friends of CCF scheme is open to individuals and businesses. If you are interested in becoming a Friend of CCF, or want to find out more, please contact our Chief Executive, Michael O’Toole at michael@cambscf.org.uk, or call on 01223 410535.

Challenge events We were delighted to be the chosen charity for the Chariots of Fire 2018 relay race which you can read about on page 4. The success of this – and what it means for the High Sheriff’s Award Fund and those in the community encouraging young volunteering – has inspired us to plan further events in 2019 to raise funds for the communities of Cambridgeshire.

Participating in challenges (whether a run, a walk, bike ride or competitive sport) has become popular with all ages and we are keen to hear from anyone who may have an idea for an event or who would like to support CCF by taking part in an event. It’s a great way of meeting other people and doing good at the same time. Please get in touch with your ideas and also let us know if you would like to fundraise for CCF by being part of any upcoming fundraising challenge events by emailing us at info@cambscf.org.uk.

Leave a gift in your will Deciding which causes you would like to leave money to can be a very difficult and daunting decision. If helping the people of Cambridgeshire is important to you then we can assist you in creating a lasting legacy for you and your loved ones, designed around your giving goals and wishes.

You can decide to have a fund named after you, your family or in a way that reflects something important to you. Leaving a legacy in your Will to CCF is a simple way to go on helping your community for generations to come. Making or updating a Will does not have to be expensive or complicated. However, we strongly recommend that you seek legal advice in drafting, and the correct execution of, a Will or codicil.

T: 01223 410535 W: www.cambscf.org.uk E: info@cambscf.org.uk

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Cambridgeshire Community Foundation Hangar One, The Airport, Newmarket Road, Cambridge CB5 8TG Registered Charity 1103314

@cambridgeshirecf @cambscf