Stafford Together is a new sustainable endowment fund for the Stafford area, designed to support the voluntary sector in a sustainable way for the long term. The aim is to raise a similar amount to other successful schemes locally, where they have made an appreciable difference to their local areas.
Stafford Together will be the first – and only – local fund that allows people to support their community, with all moneys raised staying in the area. Stafford Together also offers the opportunity for individuals and groups to raise money to support people across the borough, whilst offering local employers the opportunity to get involved as part of any CSR focus.
The Stafford Together Community Fund is one of 9 ‘community funds’ established by The Community Foundation for Staffordshire. We aim to raise £500,000 to enable a minimum of £25,000 of grants to be given to the borough’s community and voluntary groups every year; the youth clubs, the elderly social groups, the amateur sports teams, the dance troupes, all the groups that do so much good for the borough.
Every year hundreds of voluntary groups provide thousands of hours service to the borough of Stafford. They help to keep the kids off the streets, they provide social contact and enjoyment for isolated members of society, they teach children new skills, they tackle disadvantage that statutory bodies can not.
All the money raised will be placed into an Endowment Fund, and the money will be invested according to Charity Commission guidelines, with the interest and dividends used to provide grants to the borough’s voluntary and community groups. Using 5% as a guideline it means that each year, and every year, we will be able to give away grants to the district totalling £25,000 and because of the way the fund is invested, this amount should increase year on year – forever.
Companies and individuals are welcome to donate or fund-raise for the fund, and every year we plan many fundraising events, all of which seek to involve the wider community – so it’s not just about raising money to benefit people in Stafford, Stone and the surrounding villages, its about bringing people together to have a bit of fun whilst we’re doing it.
Donor Advisors
The Community Foundation is an expert grant maker and philanthropic management organisation, that specialises in high impact local giving. However, it is important to maintain a local influence and so a panel of ‘Donor Advisors’ is being established to ensure that any decisions about the fund are made with a local input and influence. They will help to raise funds and make decisions on who should benefit from the grants.
This panel of donor advisors will be drawn from the local community, and will include people from the private and public sectors. We are already establishing a local panel, but if you feel you have something that you could contribute to this fund and would like to join the panel of donor advisors please get in touch.
How To Support the Stafford Borough Community Fund
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 ‘Stafford Borough Community Fund’ 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 the Stafford Borough Community Fund please see the dedicated section on legacies here, or call us on 01785 339540.
Stafford Together is being built by a team of local high profile volunteers who have their roots in Stafford.
The team includes:
Lesley Morrey
Director of Student Engagement and Partnerships at Newcastle and Stafford College Group. Lesley is responsible for student experience at the College including Student Services and High Needs Provision. Lesley also is the Safeguarding and Prevent Lead and strategic lead for Equality & Diversity. Lesley was appointed in July 2015 and has over 14 years management experience in the FE and training and development sector and before this was managing registered nursing homes across the County. Outside of work Lesley enjoys the theatre, walking and spending time with her family. Lesley is looking forward to being part of Stafford Together and is keen to ensure that the community benefits from the work undertaken.
Lesley Morrey – Newcastle and Stafford Colleges Group
Dr Ann Ewens
Dean School of Health and Social Care which involves the Leadership and Management of the School including responsibility for the strategic direction, vision and ambition of the School. Development and maintenance of external relationships locally, nationally and internationally, staff and physical resources across the 3 main sites of the University.
Ann Joined Staffordshire University in June 2017, 25 years working within Higher Education in health and social care, 15 years at senior management level. Nurse by professional background and currently registered with the Nursing and Midwifery Council.
Mike Heenan
Qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in 1976 with Price Waterhouse, following education at King Edward VI School, Stafford and Leicester University, Mike joined the local firm, now called Deans, in 1980 and became a partner in 1981. He was subsequently appointed to the Board of Stafford Railway Building Society in 1984 and served as Chief Executive until 2010. He retired from Deans in 2015, and is currently a Non-Executive Director of a number of Stafford companies, Beverley Building Society and national and local charities including Treasurer of Staffordshire and Birmingham Agricultural Society.
He has been President of Stafford and North Staffs Chambers of Commerce, Staffs, Salop & Wolverhampton Society of Chartered Accountants and Chairman of Business Link Staffordshire and First Community Health NHS Trust.
First elected in 1976, he was a Stafford Borough Councillor for over 30 years, being Mayor of Stafford in 1990/91 and Leader of the Council 1993-1995 and 2009-2015. He is an Honorary Alderman of the Borough.
Dr Teeranlall Ramgopal, (Ram)
I worked at the Staffordshire General Infirmary for twenty-five years and at Staffordshire University for fifteen years. As Pro-Vice Chancellor at the University, my role also included supporting local communities in the promotion of community engagement and cohesion. Now as a Trustee of the Community Foundation for Staffordshire, and one of its representatives on the Stafford Together group, I aim to play an active role, not just in raising awareness about the purposes of these two groups, but also participate in fundraising initiatives to support local voluntary organisations in their promotion of cultural and social wellbeing activities for the benefit of the entire Community.
Jonathan Andrew
Jonathan Andrew is a Director of Baswich Business Services, a Stafford based procurement consultancy who consults regularly with businesses about tenders and contract opportunities. Jonathan also provides on-going support to public sector organisations, working with them to prepare tender documentation and evaluating responses submitted by potential suppliers. He is a published author, with over twenty years’ experience. Jonathan has lived in Stafford since 1996 and is a former President of Stafford Chamber of Commerce. He is now Vice-Chair of The Community Foundation for Staffordshire and also chairs his local community group. He is passionate about communities working together to support one another and works hard to bring people together to improve their local areas for the benefit of all.
John Marshall
Until he retired John Marshall led one of the churches in Stafford. He now chairs ‘Love Stafford’ the partnership of churches and faith-based organisations active in the area. John has almost forty years’ experience of working with the voluntary sector.
Nina A Dawes OBE
Nina began her career in the private sector. After teaching, researching and travelling she joined Local Government where she served for more than 30 years.
She undertook various roles for Walsall MBC in housing and neighbourhood management, became a Director of a large West Midlands Housing Association, before joining Lichfield District Council in 1997. She became Chief Executive in 2001, and retired in 2012.
She was Chairman of the Local Government Association’s District Council Network, the body which represents the interests of the 200+ District Councils, elected to the position of Deputy Secretary of the West Midlands Local Government Association, and Chairman of the Regional Improvement and Efficiency Partnership. Vice Chairman of the County’s Children’s Trust, and she also served on county-wide Health and Social Care Boards. She was involved in setting up the We Love Lichfield endowment fund.
For 10 years she was a non-Executive Director of a tenant owned and managed Housing Association in Walsall, and for 2 years she served on the a the Board of Business Link West Midlands.
She was awarded an OBE in 2008 for Flood Rescue in Staffordshire, and Services to Local Government.
Since retiring she has become a School Governor, a volunteer for the Pathway Project and for Crimestoppers. She has two children, who she says have brought her up very well, and three grandchildren, from whom she continues to learn.
Councillor Jeremy Pert
Elected to Stafford Borough Council (from 2011) and Staffordshire County Council (from 2017) to represent the Eccleshall area. Previously on Eccleshall Parish Council (2001 – 2011). Cabinet Member for Communities on the Borough Council looking after strategic housing and the voluntary sector, amongst other things.
Extensive voluntary sector experience having led Eccleshall Eagles Junior Football Club’s pitch project to develop five grass pitches and a club house (from 2009) and re-establish a Youth Club (YoYo) in Eccleshall. Previous commitments include with Eccleshall Show Society, Broughton Parish Rooms and as chair of the Broughton & Croxton Fair amongst others.
Professionally, work to transform supply chains, principally across Europe to reduce cost and improve efficiency. Previously used to work on business turnarounds, within the spare parts logistics, packaging, household cleaning products and food markets.