two people at desk reading

The Adult Literacy Trust (ALT)

June 30, 2023By

Helping adult learners become successful readers

The Adult Literacy Trust (ALT) believes that literacy is a right, not a privilege. Poor literacy can be a main contributor to a life of hardship, as a contributor to unemployment and inability to access benefits and services.

The Axis Foundation donated £4,766 towards ALT’s Reading Coaches programme which operates in the London Boroughs of Hackney and Southwark, recruiting and training volunteers who will help adult learners become successful readers.

“We at Adult Literacy Trust are delighted that our application for funding from the Axis Foundation has been approved. We have long admired the ethos and the approach of your grant-making and are honoured to be able to bring that to life through this very welcome grant.

“We rely entirely on the generosity of organisations such as the Axis Foundation to allow this to happen. Together, we are convinced we can make a huge difference to the life chances of so many.”  Robert Glick OBE, Chair

More about ALT

Poor literacy can be a main contributor to a life of hardship, as a contributor to unemployment and inability to access benefits and services. Conversely, improved reading skills bring profound and long-lasting improvements in employability, health and wellbeing and family and social interactions.

ALT’s Reading Coaches programme recruits and trains approximately 80 local volunteers who complement formal learning in (often overcrowded) classrooms by providing one-to-one support for 80-120 adult learners to gain the confidence to become successful readers.

They are currently working in the London boroughs of Hackney and Southwark (both boroughs have higher than UK and London averages for poverty) and plan to roll the Reading Coaches programme out across more London boroughs and also throughout the UK.

ALT partnered New City College and Mary Ward Centre to design and deliver the Reading Coaches programme. ALT’s work has been informed by experts, including from University College London, Workers’ Educational Association, and Learning & Work Institute.See more about ALT here

 

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LivedHealth

June 13, 2022By

Creating videos to help people with MS

People with MS and Parkinson’s host Lived Health‘s patient-led videos which empower patients and support carers.

The Axis Foundation’s 2022 donation of £3,000 helped fund LivedHealth’s video MS101 project in which hosts share their unique and honest perspectives on the issues of receiving and adapting to an MS diagnosis, and interview leading, international MS professionals on a range of topics.

“Many patients with MS feel lonely and isolated as they may not know anyone else with the condition that they can talk to or learn from. We’re incredibly grateful to the Axis Foundation for recognising the importance of patient-led resources and supporting us with our project” – Harriet Arnold, Trusts Fundraiser

The Foundation was delighted to learn that this video has been seen 170,000 times by an estimated 15,000 people in a year.

Second donation

And, in 2023, the Axis Foundation donated £4,000 to LivedHealth to make a follow up series of videos, exploring the topic of people with MS who believe their symptoms are getting worse, but whose belief is not supported by scan results. Thanking the Foundation for our second donation, Harriet Arnold said:

“We would like to extend our thanks to the Axis Foundation for your generous donation of £4,000 towards our “Is Smouldering MS the New MS?” video series. Last year, your donation of £3,000 was instrumental in the success of MS101; we are delighted that you have chosen to continue your support. This cutting-edge research topic could change the lives of people living with MS and, thanks to your donation, we can reach many more individuals in the community.

We are immensely grateful for your contribution to our cause here at LivedHealth. Your kindness will directly help those we serve and our whole team appreciates it. We look forward to continuing this partnership and keeping you updated with the progress of the new video series.”

See LivedHealth’s Thank You video here

More about LivedHealth videos

LivedHealth’s videos on YouTube and Facebook reach a wide and diverse global audience and support people with MS, their loved ones and healthcare professionals. They feature industry-leading international professionals, and provide fellow patients with the knowledge, skills and confidence to make positive lifestyle changes and optimise their engagement with health services.

See one of their videos here and find out more about LivedHealth here

 

 

 

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Funds For Frankie’s Family

June 13, 2022By

Supporting a young family

The Axis Foundation was delighted to support Frankie’s family when he received bad news about his health and was unable to work. We donated £1,000 to help support their baby, Olivia, who was born in June.

When Frankie and his partner were expecting their first baby, Frankie found out he had Stage 4 Melanoma cancer. He received the news on Christmas Eve 2021. And in January 2022, he underwent an operation to remove lymph nodes and afterwards started his chemotherapy. Frankie is self-employed, an electrician by trade, and is not able to work because of the treatment. His family is on a low income and unable to help him financially.

Sarah Cooper, Senior RLO at Axis, applied for this grant for Frankie: his family are Sarah’s neighbours, and Frankie was in the same class as Sarah’s son, so Sarah feels a close connection and wants to help.

Thanking the Foundation, Sarah Cooper said: “I spoke to Frankie’s Mum on Christmas Eve when she told me his cancer had progressed from Stage 1 to Stage 4. I went home and was really upset. Then I thought, ‘I can help’ – so I applied to the Foundation for some money to help him whilst he was unable to work. I was absolutely overwhelmed to hear that my application had been successful. Vouchers for the new baby will really help this young family. Frankie’s prognosis is good but he will be monitored for the next ten years. All his family, including his grandparents are extremely grateful to the Axis Foundation for their donation.”

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Hutton Community Centre

December 8, 2021By

Combating loneliness in Brentwood

Hutton Community Centre is an important community hub in Brentwood, working primarily to combat loneliness. Our parent company, Axis Europe, works in Brentwood keeping local residents’ homes safe and comfortable. And so we were keen to support their application.

So, through our partnership with Travis Perkins, the Axis Foundation contributed  £3,020 to the centre’s kitchen refurbishment. Specifically, the donation bought a new commercial catering oven and extractor hood.

“I would like to thank the Axis Foundation for their donation and support towards the cafe’s refurbishment. The oven and canopy will make a huge difference to the services that we can now offer the local community and those visiting the area.

“All the feedback we have had during the COVID-19-enforced shutdown of the Centre from the people who would have normally used it has reinforced to us the importance of the HCC in combating loneliness and isolation in the local community” –  Stella Miles, Cafe Supervisor

Our donation

The refurbishment enables the low-cost café to offer a wider range of meals, provide hot meals during the school holidays for children who would normally have free school dinners and host a senior lunch club. The centre has extended the café opening hours too.

Hutton Community Centre

HCC is run by volunteers. Activities include 50+ Club, Community Bingo, Dementia Carer’s support, dance classes, baby and toddler groups, martial arts, board games and Camp Epic for youth activities.

There’s more here about Hutton Community Centre here

 

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exterior and interior scout base community hub brickwork and timber beamsCommunity

1st Godstone Scout Group

September 7, 2021By

Donation restores building for scout group and for local community

The Axis Foundation’s grant of £5,000 helped the 1st Godstone Scout Group to restore their historic base, The Endeavour, at Godstone in East Surrey.

“The award of £5,000 from the Axis Foundation has made it possible to start the restoration work to The Endeavour which is a well-loved building in Godstone. It fronts the village green and has been used for over 80 years by the young people of the community. This award will allow the building to become a true community hub” – Mark Wiles, Group Scout Leader 

More about the Scout Base

Based on a 16th-century oak barn, The Endeavour was hand built by scouts and volunteers in the 1930s. They used recovered materials from a Sussex barn, stone from Waterloo Bridge and 14th-century Purbeck stone from a church.

But, because of its age, The Endeavour had started to deteriorate. It needed urgent repairs to its walls and windows. And so the Axis Foundation was delighted to make a donation to help restore the building for the scout group and for the local community. Local people use it for orchestra practice, exercise classes, birthday parties and fundraising events.

More about the restoration works

Scope of works here included installing style-appropriate new windows with secondary glazing inside toughened glass and rebuilding the brickwork panels below the windows.

More about The 1st Godstone Scout Group

The 1st Godstone Scout Group has been in Godstone since 1908 and provides Scouting to over 50 young people, aged six to14, boys and girls, from all backgrounds and ethnicity. Even during COVID-19 the group remained active in the local community.

More here!

There’s more about the 1st Godstone Scout Group here 

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Young child having swimming lessons with Level WaterDisability

Level Water

April 8, 2021By

Swimming for children with disability

Level Water trains swimming teachers to deliver specialist swimming lessons for children with disabilities.

Our donation of £1,250 to Level Water will fund Teacher Training Workshops in Shoreham, Haywards Heath and Burgess Hill in Sussex; and in Tonbridge and Dover in Kent.

“It’s great to be working with the Axis Foundation in Sussex and Kent… you are helping us to provide thousands of one-to-one lessons for children who otherwise may never learn to swim. After a year with the swimming pools shut, the children we support are excited to improve their swimming and to learn new skills both in the pool and out” – Ian Thwaites, CEO, Level Water

More about Level Water

Level Water, based in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, supports children with disabilities to access a lifetime of sport, to develop physical skills, become socially included and build self-esteem and resilience. Specifically, Level Water provides specialist one-to-one swimming lessons for children aged 4-11 with physical or sensory disabilities. A qualified Level Two teacher delivers each lesson socially distanced.

Once they have learnt to swim, children can move to mainstream swimming lessons where Level Water teachers will carry on supporting them.

Therefore children with disabilities can continue to swim without barriers for the rest of their lives. And so they gain the long term benefits of mobility, raised self-esteem and greater resilience that swimming brings them too.

 More here

 

 

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Accessible platform with wheelchair users fishing BDAADisability

British Disabled Angling Association

April 8, 2021By

Helping disabled people enjoy fishing

In three separate donations, the Axis Foundation has helped The British Disabled Angling Association (BDAA) offer fishing opportunities to disabled children, young people and adults across the Midlands.

Electric reels

In 2023, we donated £5597 to purchase 20 electric reels (fishing reels and rod harnesses) as part of the adaptive equipment BDAA requires to deliver their projects.

“The British Disabled Angling Association (BDAA)would like to say a huge thank you for the generosity of the Axis Foundation’s latest donation of £5597. This has allowed the BDAA charity to purchase 20 specially adapted motorised touch button controlled fishing reels for people of all ages with disabilities to take up fishing for the first time or get back into fishing after a life changing event. These newly developed reels can be operated using only one hand making them ideal for stroke survivors and people with coordination difficulties.

“The BDAA’s overall aim is to enable disabled individuals to participate fully in angling, removing barriers and providing the necessary support and equipment to ensure a positive fishing experience. Your donation will go a long way in ensuring that individuals have the necessary tools to participate” – Troy Chadwick, BDAA Operations Manager

Fishing platforms

BDAA points out that many mobility and visually-impaired people have difficulties getting near the water’s edge. So, our earlier (2021) donation of £3,450 helped fund the creation and installation of an approved, bespoke, accessible group fishing platform.

“The Trustees and I would like to offer a huge thank you for the generosity of the Axis Foundation. Your grant has allowed us to provide accessible fishing platforms ensuring disabled people will be safe when fishing. The accessible fishing platforms with safety features help individuals and groups like our successful Disabilities Schools or Heroes Veterans.Your grant has ensured that the public can see first-hand the commitment we place on design and accessibility allowing more disabled children to participate alongside non-disabled people helping bridge social divides. We could not do this without the generosity of the Axis Foundation” –  Terry Moseley, Founder, BDAA

Junior Schools Fishing Project

Our 2020 donation of £3,320 helped BDAA develop their BDAA Junior Schools Fishing Project This is the first scheme of its kind in the UK and will help hundreds of disabled children and young people benefit from fishing.

“The Junior School’s disability project has been a long-time milestone for the BDAA. Having such great support and generosity from the Axis Foundation has made this ambition a reality. Hundreds of children, teachers and families have benefited directly from this pilot project and we hope they will continue enjoying fishing in adult life. The funding has provided essential training for teachers and volunteers, as well as clothing, adaptive fishing equipment, transport costs and independence for the students. They now have an additional skill they never knew they could achieve through fishing” – BDAA founder Terry Moseley

More about BDAA

BDAA offers fishing opportunities for disabled children, young people and adults across the Midlands. Angling helps improve the health and wellbeing of many disabled people. The sport encourages access to outdoor activities and, most importantly, offers the chance to socialise with others in the local community. Angling can change the lives of disabled people. BDAA offers inclusive fishing opportunities to disabled people of all ages and disability. And the charity provides adapted equipment, disabled platforms and access, services, information, support and practical advice on all issues encompassing angling.

 “I love to be outside. I can now hold a rod all by myself and have also learned how to be a good fisherman. I like to go fishing with my friends, and I think I will be a really good fisherman when I’m bigger” – Harry Bowen, Penn Hall School fishing club

There’s more about BDAA here.

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young boy on dry ski slope TAG adaptive snow sportsDisability

TAG

April 8, 2021By

Two donations support young people with disability.

The Axis Foundation has made two donations to TAG Youth Club to support their work empowering and optimising the potential of young people with disability.

Our donation of £4789 helped TAG Youth Club purchase a Mountain Man Sit Ski, a transfer sling and a vacuum cushion for postural support for wheelchair users. Fully-qualified adapted skiing and snowboarding instructors from Disability Snowsports UK deliver snowsports lessons for TAG.

‘Thank you so much to everyone at Axis and to those involved in the Axis Foundation for the kind gift. This has enabled us to purchase the bi ski and postural supports which means that no one will be excluded from taking part in this exciting sport. Skiing does more than just provide the benefits of being more active: it also supports people with their mental health and social skills and increases sensory stimulation”  – Giles Hobart, Lead Youth Worker, TAG

“My son doesn’t excel at sports and has struggled taking part in physical activities due to his disabilities. He loves the sensory feeling of speed and the wind on his face, so giving him the opportunity to sit ski will help change his outlook in life by providing him with a sport that captures his personality” – a TAG parent

Previous donation

Our earlier donation of £5,000 helped purchase a Magic Mirror sensory system for TAG. The Magic Mirror is the only interactive projection system that allows users of different ages and abilities to play and learn together. It supports national curriculum SEN learning responding to the slightest movement, supporting multiple access methods such as gesture, eye gaze, mouse and touch, and projects a variable image catering for wheelchair accessibility.

“A massive thank you to the Axis Foundation. This grant is enabling us to purchase a 3D motion censored sensory system which allows young people with disabilities to play interactive games” – Giles Hobart, Lead Youth Worker

More about Tag

TAG Youth Club in Richmond provides a safe, accessible, well-equipped and stimulating environment where young people (8-25 years) with disability can meet up with friends and enjoy social developmental and enjoyable activities including arts, drama, music and sport.  TAG’s Youth workers help the young people with disabilities here develop their self awareness and self esteem as and learn social and life skills too. This vital work takes place in their centre in Richmond and in the wider community locally.

Read more about TAG here

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Man and wheelbarrow standing in front of polytunnelCare

Green Health Thames Valley

October 20, 2020By

Helping people with mental health difficulties

Green Health Thames Valley (GHTV) helps people with mental health difficulties through horticulture-based programmes and activities.

The Axis Foundation’s donation of £4,450 purchased a polytunnel, raised beds and green roofs for the sheds for their community garden in Whitley. 

“We are thrilled with the support from the Axis Foundation. Our new polytunnel is fantastic. It enables us to extend our growing season and provide warm dry space for clients. We have installed new raised beds and have finalised designs for a new green roof which will be created very soon. It’s so exciting seeing these improvements. Thank you to all at Axis Foundation. Your support means so much to us all at GHTV” – Richard Byard, Chair of GHTV

More about Green Health

The horticultural programmes at Reading-based Green Health help marginalised and isolated clients. Here they can engage with nature, create projects and participate in physical activities. They can also socialise with other clients and locally-based volunteers. As a result, they become more confident, less socially isolated and develop new skills that move them closer to economic activity and independence.

In addition to helping people with their mental health, GHTV also aims to protect physical health through encouraging  horticulture-related physical activity and promoting healthy eating.

The charity additionally aims to improve the places and spaces of their local communities.

Find out more about the work of Green Health Thames Valley here.

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Group of children learning to develop key communication and motor skills at SkylarksDisability

Skylarks

September 14, 2020By

Helping disadvantaged children with disability gain vital skills

Skylarks provides a supportive and active community for children with disabilities and additional needs. The charity offers inclusive play sessions, therapies and workshops and structured activities. These include Sensory Art, Singing with Percussion, Makaton Sing and Signing. All these activities help the development of key communication, motor and sensory skills.

The Axis Foundation’s donation of £1,500 buys sensory equipment and toys to support these structured activities.

“We are delighted to receive a donation from the Axis Foundation. It has enabled us to purchase new equipment for our interactive Sensory Room. The donation has funded new weighted soft furnishings and a range of audio visual equipment including fibre optic lights, colour changing light panels and more. The room creates a relaxing area for the children to use whilst allowing them to enjoy new experiences and develop communication, motor and sensory skills.

“With the support of organisations like the Axis Foundation, Skylarks can continue supporting disadvantaged children and their families for years to come.

“We really appreciate the funding Axis has provided to purchase this equipment. Skylarks closed for the last 6 months due to Covid-19. However we plan to partially re-open soon so more families can use the equipment you have enabled us to purchase” – Aaron Guiver, Development Manager at Skylarks

More about Skylarks

Whilst supporting disadvantaged children with disabilities, Skylarks, based in Twickenham in south west London, also cares for the whole family. The play sessions at Skylarks offer a safe and relaxing haven for the families in a non-judgemental environment. And while children are accessing therapies and supervised play, parents can access a wide range of peer support, relaxation therapies and informative workshops by specialists such as speech and language therapists and the National Autistic Society.

Over the last three years Skylarks has increased its membership from 550 to over 2,000 children.

Read more here 

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