We Love Lichfield

We Love Lichfield is one of The Community Foundation for Staffordshire’s 9 local community funds, that provides small grants to a wide range of projects based in Lichfield District. The fund will consider all applications from local groups in need twice a year.

Companies and individuals are welcome to donate or fund-raise and all money is invested through an endowment fund in line with charity commission guidelines. The interest and dividends earned on the invested money is then distributed through We Love Lichfield as small grants across the district. The beauty of this model is that it will provide a source of on-going funding that can be used for small grants, and larger grants as the fund grows, for many years to come.

The Value of the Fund

The fund originally aimed to make awards totaling £25,000 every year, but due to the success of the fund, and thanks to the dedicated support of many local businesses, we increased this from 2017, so that now £40,000 will be awarded each year.  The fund will support community groups and organisations through small grants forever, creating a lasting legacy for the district.

 

Fund Advisors

We Love Lichfield has a dedicated panel of local advisors, under the direction of The Community Foundation for Staffordshire, who help to increase the knowledge of the fund, raise funds to help support the community and make decisions on how grants should be allocated.  The panel so far includes

  • Simon Price – CEO of Arthur Price, former Lichfield City Sheriff, Director & Trustee of The Community Foundation & Patron of We Love Lichfield
  • Helen Fisher – Volunteer and local councillor
  • Julian Fisher – Director of Townhouse Communications Limited
  • Tim Matthews – Volunteer and local councillor
  • Richard Worth – Owner of Worth Brothers Wine Merchants
  • Steve Lightfoot – Volunteer
  • Andy Kerr – Reporter for the Lichfield Mercury
  • Christopher Spruce – Volunteer, local councillor and director of The Community Foundation for Staffordshire
  • Terry Turner – Owner of T Turner Autos Limited
  • Adrian Viles – BDS Learning
  • John Heeler – MD of Straightforward Solutions
  • Mark Santy – General Manager of The George Hotel
  • Robert Yardley – Volunteer and local councillor

 

The Origins of the Fund

The We Love Lichfield Fund started with funds that were previously held by Lichfield District Council.

The funds were donated in the past for very specific purposes, which can no longer be delivered, but yet the funds cannot be spent on anything else. By donating them to We Love Lichfield, they are not being spent, but they are generating a higher rate of return as they are being invested as part of a larger pot, and the interest earned on them is then being used for good causes. £25,000 was gifted in this way by Lichfield District Council from the following dormant trusts:  J S Brown Bequest, Old Bath Bequest, Sir Thomas Hewitt Bequest and Lichfield Provident Bequest.  This was then match-funded by The Community Foundation For Staffordshire. Donations were also made by other local businesses and organisations.

How To Support We Love Lichfield

Support for the fund usually comes in one of four ways; organising events, making the fund the ‘Charity of Choice’, making a donation or leaving a legacy. 

Organising Events & Charity of Choice

Many people and businesses plan to make the fund the beneficiary of an event and this is a really good way of getting involved.  Not only can you run your own event, but you can benefit from the publicity and awareness that we can bring.  We can meet with you beforehand and answer any questions you may have.  What’s more, you can tell all of your participants that all the money raised will be going to make a difference locally.

 

Making A Donation

To donate by cheque

Please make all cheques payable to ‘The Community Foundation for Staffordshire’ and write ‘We Love Lichfield’ on the back and then send to;

The Community Foundation for Staffordshire, Communications House, University Court, Staffordshire Technology Park, Stafford ST18 0ES

To leave a legacy

More and more people are now choosing to leave a legacy to a charity of their choice.  For more information on leaving a legacy to We Love Lichfield please see the dedicated section on legacies here, or call us on 01785 339540.

To Apply for support from We Love Lichfield

We Love Lichfield has been awarding grants since 2012.  If you would like to apply for a grant, please follow the information and guidance available here.