Charity Ball

Our Charity Ball 2025

December 19, 2025By

Changing lives for the better

Thanks to our amazing friends, guests and supporters we raised over £160,000 at the 2025 Axis Foundation Charity Ball.

 

This incredible amount is shared as ever between Demelza, our charity partner, and the Axis Foundation.

This was a particularly special Charity Ball for us – we had even more than usual to celebrate at this year’s prestigious event.

Magnificent Milestones

In addition to sharing the great news that we have changed many lives for the better, whether that be helping a
seriously ill child and their family at Demelza, or donating to small, local and impactful causes via our
Foundation, we were delighted and proud to share with our guests some fantastic milestones we have reached in 2025.

£3m raised!

First is the news that we – with the help of our friends – have donated an incredible £3m to 430+ causes in our
16-year history. We think that is something to be very proud of.

£1m to Demelza

Next up is the fact that our donations to Demelza have topped the £1m mark. Again, none of what we achieve would be possible without the generosity of our supporters..

John Hayes awarded MBE

And last – but truly not least – you may have heard that our founder John Hayes was this year awarded
an MBE in the King’s Birthday Honours list for charitable services. We are as proud of John as he is of this recognition of our remarkable charity.

See more here!

  • You can see some examples of the causes we have supported this year here.
  • And photos of the 2025 Charity Ball here
  • Plus our Souvenir programme here

Thank You

Once more a great big thank you to all our guests who really joined in the fun, supported our auctions,
table games and raffle and enjoyed our music, magic and dancing, as well as the delicious
dinner at the Royal Lancaster Hotel.

Thank You to all the following who all so kindly supported our charity ball by booking a table …

A to Z Stone Repairs
AC Davis Electrical
ALP Group
Barwin
City Plumbing
Crown Paints
DMD
DMJ
Dynes Group
Enviro Contract Solutions
Estec Engineering
Exterior Plas
FFT
First Choice Drainage
Fleetwood
Hall & Gertski
John Hayes
Tim Hayes
Heron
Howden
Howells
Joe Ibrahim
LMP Installations
Martin Arnold
Meru
Peter Varney Associates
Pioneer Site Services
Premier Property
R.E.B Group
Regen Solutions
Rubix M&E
Russell Trew
Sei Contractor
Stak Scaffold
Stonegrove
Symphony Windows
TSM Heating Services
TW Drainage
UAS
UK Roofing
VH Electrical
VivBuild

… And to these generous friends who donated to the ball or contributed prizes and gifts

Abal Environmental Services
Abdelmalik Hamli
Electrician Network UK
Eres Group
Exterior Plas
Fleetnetix
Sarah May Hayes Bid Writing
Margo Manning
NIAA People
SecureTec
Medway Scaffolding Solutions
Heldrone

And to our sponsors …

A-Z Stone Repairs – Event
Sponsor
NxtGen – Event Sponsor
Stonegrove – Event Sponsor
Symphony Windows – Band Sponsor

… And, as always, a big thank you to …

Alan Curbishley – tireless Patron of the Axis Foundation
Steve Sutherland – our wonderful MC
Charles Hanson – our fabulous auctioneer

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Demelza

We’ve donated £1m to Demelza!!

December 17, 2025By

Axis Foundation celebrates donating £1m to Demelza in 2025

This year, the Axis Foundation marks a milestone: we have donated a total of £1m to Demelza, our charity partner.

That we have achieved this amazing figure in our 16-year history of giving is – in huge part – a tribute to the generosity of our supporters who have donated so generously, and our volunteers to have given their time to raise funds for our charity partner.

These words come direct from Demelza to you!

“This year, Demelza is proud to be supporting over 2,700 children and family members. Each day, we strive to reach more children living with serious or life-limiting conditions, while continuing to strengthen the care and support we already provide to families who rely on us.

“Everything we do is made possible by the kindness and commitment of our supporters. As a charity, we exist because of you – your generosity fuels every moment of care, every family visit, and every smile we help create, every bit of sunshine we bring into a child’s life.

“During our partnership with the Axis Foundation, this remarkable charity has donated over a phenomenal £1 million to us!

“As more children are living longer with increasingly complex medical needs, the demand for our services continues to grow. With your help, we’re determined to be there for every extraordinary child and family who needs our extraordinary care – today, tomorrow, and into the future.

“From all of us at Demelza, a heartfelt thank you to the Axis Foundation. Your belief in our work means more than words can say. Your unwavering passion, your creativity, and compassion have never failed to inspire us. The energy you bring to every fundraising effort and the dedication you show year after year truly make a difference. No act of support is ever too small – each one helps transform lives” – Lavinia Jarrett, Chief Executive Officer

 

“We are truly honoured and deeply grateful for the incredible support the Axis Foundation has shown us over the years. Reaching the milestone of raising and donating over £1 million is a remarkable achievement.

“Your commitment has improved the lives of countless children and their families across Kent and south east London, and we’re so proud to have you as part of our journey” – Louise Earl, Corporate Accounts Partnership Manager

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Demelza

Makeovers and Marathons

December 17, 2025By

Our Volunteers Support Demelza

These are just a few examples of how Axis employees support our charity partner Demelza!

Axis volunteers conducted a garden makeover at Demelza’s hospice in Sittingbourne, Kent. They helped to tidy up the gardens by weeding and clearing paths, and set up Christmas trees, a gingerbread house archway and an inflatable Christmas dinosaur.

Our Kate Thomson (Social Impact Coordinator) ran the Royal Parks Half Marathon to raise funds for Demelza and also hosted a Cake Sale.

Axis Volunteers restored the memorial garden at Demelza Hospice in Sittingbourne ahead of the charity’s annual Memorial Weekend – a meaningful event for bereaved families.

And some of our Axis people bravely took part in the 26.2-mile challenge of the 2025 London Marathon, raising £4,500 for Demelza.

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Care

Newport First Responders

December 17, 2025By

Life-saving, community-based emergency support

Newport Community First Responders plays a vital role in safeguarding the health of people living in and around Newport in Shrophsire. Operated entirely by trained volunteers, the group responds directly to 999 calls passed through the West Midlands Ambulance Service Control Room.
The Axis Foundation has awarded them £10,000 towards a new Community Response car to replace the group’s ageing existing vehicle.
“That’s absolutely fantastic news thank you. Switching to a plug-in hybrid will reduce fuel costs significantly and create long-term environmental benefits. The new vehicle will secure the future of the First Responders’ Scheme for the next decade, ensuring volunteers can continue bridging the widening gap between the 999 call and ambulance arrival.
“With emergency services stretched and delays increasingly common, the new vehicle will strengthen support for some of the area’s most vulnerable people, including the elderly and those with complex health conditions who require frequent urgent care.
“It will ensure that lifesaving, community-based emergency support remains available whenever it is needed most” – Russell Brooks, Community Response Co-ordinator
More about Newport First Responders
Since its formation, Newport First Responders has treated more than 11,000 people across a catchment area of 50,000 residents. Their community-based model enables them to reach patients quickly, particularly in remote rural areas where ambulance response times can take an hour or more.
Responders attend the most critical emergencies, including cardiac arrests, strokes, paediatric cases, falls from height and severe road traffic collisions. Equipped with lifesaving tools such as a defibrillator and oxygen, they can assess patients, deliver urgent treatment and relay vital information back to both the Control Room and receiving hospitals so clinicians can prepare treatment plans without delay. In the past year alone, their intervention has helped save the lives of two people in cardiac arrest.
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disadvantaged

The Nest

December 16, 2025By

Sweeter sleep for families facing severe financial hardship

The Nest supports families with young children who are facing severe financial hardship. Their aim is simple: to ensure every child has the best possible start in life and that no baby sleeps without safe, suitable essentials.

The Axis Foundation has donated £3,000 to The Nest to purchase 30 cot mattresses, 35 cot-bed mattresses and 35 Moses basket mattresses.

“Wow, thank you so very much. We are so grateful for this incredibly generous support. As a small charity it is extremely hard to secure funding, and this donation will make a life-changing difference to the families we help. Thanks to the Axis Foundation, we can ensure babies across our community have a safe and healthy place to sleep including baby who is currently sleeping on a pillow which is less than ideal safety wise” – Victoria Blythe, CEO

The new mattresses will have a powerful impact on families across Bath and North East Somerset. They will give up to 100 babies and young children a safe, hygienic and supportive place to sleep—reducing the risk of SIDS, preventing exposure to mould or bedbugs, and improving posture and comfort. Better sleep will also benefit parents and siblings who are often sharing beds or sleeping on floors due to lack of resources.

For more information visit The Nest’s website

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Donations

Mayfield School

December 16, 2025By

Sensory stimulation for children with multiple learning difficulties

Mayfield School is a large Special Needs School in Torbay. Of their 180 pupils, many have Profound and Multiple Learning Difficulties (PMLD).

The Axis Foundation was delighted to approve an application for support with a donation of £11,091 to help the Friends of Mayfield School buy media projectors which support sensory stimulation and learning.

“We are grateful to the Axis Foundation for awarding a grant to Mayfield School. Your donation will be used to purchase a set of media projectors for the Immersive (sensory) room.

“The projectors will create a wrap-around effect when used alongside edge blending software and Showmagic software allows different themes and environments to be used (both software is included). Wrap around projections allow children to be ‘in’ the ocean when learning about the ocean, for example.

“Thanks to your support we are closer to launching a new and immersive sensory environment, harnessing the power of technology to support sensory stimulation and learning, especially for our children with profound and multiple learning difficulties” – Adam Tapp, Treasurer

The new sensory rooms will support up to 460 children over their lifetime, offering a calming, accessible space for pupils, families and community groups. They promote cognitive and language development, emotional regulation, reduced anxiety, social interaction and creativity. By providing a safe, soothing environment, the rooms help children build resilience, confidence and essential communication skills.

There’s more about Mayfield School here

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Donations

Build Up Foundation

December 16, 2025By

Helping young people gain practical skills, confidence and routes into employment

Build Up Foundation works across deprived London neighbourhoods, delivering youth-led construction projects which help young people gain practical skills, confidence and routes into employment meanwhile transforming neglected spaces.

The Axis Foundation has awarded £7,400 to Build Up to contribute to essential construction materials needed to deliver a build project in Hackney, enabling young people to design and construct a high-quality community space alongside professional trades and construction mentors.

The donation will directly support around 30 young people, with over 1,000 local young people benefiting each year from a permanent, inclusive community space.

“This is amazing news and we are incredibly grateful to the Axis Foundation for this support. The team is thrilled that the Hackney Marshes project can go ahead, particularly because the young people involved are so committed and inspiring. This flexible funding shows real belief in our work and in the potential of young people to lead positive change in their communities. It will make a lasting difference to both the participants and the space they are helping to create” – Huan Rimington, Founder and Director

For more information visit Build Up’s website here

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Care

Bromley Brighter Beginnings

December 16, 2025By

Sweeter, safer sleep for children – a bed for every child

Bromley Brighter Beginnings supports families across the London Borough of Bromley, providing essential items to reduce child poverty and ensure children have a safe, dignified start in life.

The Axis Foundation has donated £15,000 to Bromley Brighter Beginnings for its Bed For Every Child Project. The donation will fund new beds, mattresses and essential bedding, including pillows, duvets and mattress protectors, all delivered and professionally assembled in family homes across Bromley.

The funding will provide safe beds for 30 children, improving sleep, wellbeing and educational outcomes, while positively benefiting entire families across the borough.

“Thank you ever so much for this incredible support. We were absolutely delighted to receive the news, and Bromley Brighter Beginnings is hugely grateful to the Axis Foundation for this level of funding. It will have a profound impact on our Bed For Every Child project and the families we support. This funding means children will have a safe, comfortable place to sleep, restoring dignity, improving wellbeing and giving families much-needed peace of mind” – Rhian Arrenberg, Grants and Fundraising Lead

For more information, visit Bromley Brighter Beginnings’ website here

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disadvantaged

Extra Mile

December 16, 2025By

Safe sleep and vital baby transport

Extra Mile is a volunteer-led charity based in Hampton, supporting vulnerable families across Richmond, Hounslow and neighbouring boroughs with essential baby and child equipment.

The Axis Foundation has donated £4,000 to Extra Mile to purchase 15 cots with mattresses, 15 prams and 10 double buggies to provide safe sleeping spaces and vital transport equipment, enabling families to care for young children with dignity, safety and independence. Our donation will directly benefit 50 children, reducing family stress, improving wellbeing and helping children get a safer, healthier start in life.

“Thank you so much. This support has come at the perfect time as we celebrate 10 years of The Extra Mile. It will mean so much to many struggling families, and we are incredibly grateful. This funding will make a real and immediate difference to parents who simply cannot afford these essential items” – Liz Windaybank, Volunteer

“Being able to use The Extra Mile for the families we support is often a real lifeline. Knowing help is available brings huge relief. One family who had fled domestic abuse said, ‘It’s been like Christmas has come early for us’” –  Family Centre Outreach Worker

“We cannot thank The Extra Mile enough. Families supplied with cots and pushchairs feel enormous relief. Pushchairs also help reduce isolation. The Extra Mile responds quickly and with compassion. One mother told us, ‘I don’t have words to thank you'” – Family Centre and Home-Start

For more information, visit Extra Mile website here

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Four speakers address a roomNews

Spreading the Word: Axis Foundation Lunch & Learn

September 26, 2025By

Axis Foundation Trustees (l to r) Peter Varney (Chair), Claire Pearce, John Hayes MBE (Founder), Mick Hayes and Tim Hayes presented a Lunch & Learn session about the Axis Foundation to over 40 employees in our Stratford office.

Our employees: our eyes and ears

Because they work directly in homes, our employees, and specifically our operatives and Resident Liaison Officers, are the eyes and ears of Axis. And we rely on their support to identify people in need. So we gave all attendees information about how to identify and refer local, small causes and individuals who could benefit from funding through the Axis Foundation. And the session concluded with a Q&A, allowing the trustees to address several thoughtful questions from the audience.

Attendees said that the session helped improve their understanding of the Axis Foundation and how they can refer individuals and groups in need.

Ronald Fraser (Training Administrator) said: “[The event] was an eye opener for me. I came to appreciate the hard work that goes into fundraising. The ideal is that we shouldn’t just be considerate constructors, but great neighbours who look out for one another, too! It was inspiring to hear of the tangible, enduring and immediate impact grants are making to the most vulnerable in our society. I would encourage every corporate team to discuss how they could be playing a role in helping those who deliver front line services to our residents.”

Do you know someone who needs a helping hand?

The Axis Foundation’s mission is to make meaningful, long-lasting change in our local community. If you know an organisation, family or individual in your community who could benefit from a grant from the Axis foundation, please apply on their behalf here or share this form with them.

Celebrating our £3m milestone

We were also marking a magnificent milestone: since 2009, our Foundation has donated a total of £3 million to small, local and impactful causes, with a focus on supporting small organisations and individuals to create meaningful, long-lasting change in the communities where Axis works.

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