Cartoon of woman and shadowHelping sufferers manage depressionCare

Hope in Depression

March 7, 2022By

Helping sufferers manage depression – and teaching them and their carers to understand more about depression too.

‘Providing HOPE to people who believe there is none’, this Ascot-based charity runs six-week courses available to everyone in Berkshire.

The Axis Foundation donated £3,700 towards the production of 500 coursebooks which support these courses.

‘We are thrilled to receive this funding and to know a batch of 500 course books are paid for. We are globally in a mental health crisis, and this can feel like an insurmountable problem but we know there is HOPE and we have a solution that works. The Hope in Depression course saves lives.

“We all need to learn how to get the best from our mental health and to learn that life is to enjoy not endure. Our outstanding speaker films instigate conversation, provide empowering solutions, highlight choice. Discussion creates community, which in turn normalises what each person is going through. And so HOPE grows” – Lisa Owens, CEO and Founder

More about the course

The six-week Hope in Depression course covers brain chemistry; nutrition, physical activity, goal setting and mindfulness. And there are talks from experts plus the support of a psychiatrist, GP, therapist, nutritionist, mindfulness instructor and a fitness instructor. The coursebook to which we are contributing provides all the information from the six-week course. And so it provides a reference guide during the course and support for after the course has finished. It has helpful hints and tips as well as signposting support organisations

More about Hope in Depression

Lisa Owens founded Hope in Depression in 2013. She says: “I was so relieved to experience life after depression that I thought my suffering, my battle and my recovery could have a purpose. I wanted to share a message I didn’t believe for a long time: you can get better.”
More here 

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Charity Ball

2021 Charity Ball raises £340,000

January 10, 2022By

Our 15th Axis Foundation Charity Ball raised £170,000 thanks to the generosity of our guests – our suppliers, subcontractors and supporters.

Axis Europe, parent company of the Axis Foundation, then match funded what was raised on the night to make a grand total of £340,000.

This money will go to fund and facilitate the small, local and impactful causes that the Foundation supports, including over £70,000 to our charity partner Demelza Hospice.

As our Foundation Chairman Peter Varney says: “I can’t thank you all enough for your support. It is no exaggeration to say you have changed the lives of many vulnerable people and communities for the better.”

The Axis Foundation’s 2020 Charity Ball had to be cancelled due to Covid-19. So this 2021’s record-breaking sum has even greater significance for the small local charities the Foundation support who were hit hard by the Pandemic.

The money raised at our 15th ball in December 2021 bring the total sums raised by all Axis’ charity balls to £1,190,000.

 

A very big thank you to everyone who made this happen including:

Our guests and everyone who attended and supported our 15th Charity Ball: A-Z Stone Repairs, AkzoNobel, BJL Electrical and Property Services, Brewers,Bute Group, Bulgaro, Cablesheer,Camview Security, City Plumbing,Clear Line, D & M Plumbing, DMD Installation, DMD Contractors, DMJ, Dynes Motor Group, ENVA, ESTEC Engineering, Example Recruitment, Excel Painting Contractors, Exterior Plas, FFT, Fleet Auction Group, Gertski Wealth Management, Horizon Installation, Howells  Solutions, ICD Solutions,Inner City Fabrications, Integral Environmental Solutions, J & D Pallets, J&S Maintenance, LMP Installations, M & R, Mark Building Maintenance, Marsh, Miranda Double Glazing, Masons Scaffolding, Moorepay, Pioneer Site Services, PSTG Fire Protection, Quay Office Group, Rich Demolition, ROCC, Rose Construction, Russell Trew, Sei Contractor, SLK, Symphony Windows, Thermoserv, TOR Coating, Thomas Mansfield, Employment Law Solicitors, TW Drainage, Ultimate Access Solutions, Ultimate Construction Group, VH Electrical, Virtus Energy, Your Image

All who kindly sponsored our evening: Alandale Plant & Scaffolding and Example Recruitment (our entertainment), Miranda Double Glazing (our violinist Rachel Somerset), Jaw Roofing (our drinks reception)

Those who generously donated to our auction and raffle: AkzoNobel, Alan Curbishley, BG Building, Butler & Young Associates, CMS, Crown Paints, David Moss, Emitwise, Galway Hynes Ltd, John Hayes Axis CEO, Joe Ibrahim Axis MD, Intex Facades, J&S Heating, JLJ Decor, Let It Flow, Parish Print, Pump Practitioners, Stuart Fenn Property Services Ltd,  Geoff Shreeves – Sky TV, Thomas and Thomas

And to those who once again kindly gave their time: Charles Hanson – Auctioneer, Kevin Reynolds – Manager of Soul Connection and Glenn Macnamara, Steve Sutherland – our fantastic MC for the night!

Read here how we scooped the Corporate Foundation category of the Business Charity Awards

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Care

Brenda Gains Better Quality of Life

December 8, 2021By

Our donation provides a wet room – plus privacy, dignity, independence and better quality of life for Brenda

As a consequence of Brenda’s major health issues, she is unable to bathe without assistance. Lifting her legs into the bath causes her too much pain. But thanks to the Foundation’s donation of £6,280, Brenda now has a wet room which will give her the privacy and independence she needs.

“I would like to thank everyone who was involved at Axis that has made this happen. You have made one very happy woman. This has meant so much to me and I appreciate all the hard work that has gone into making my wet room just so I can have a bit of dignity and independence brought back into my life. I would just like to thank Mark, Anthony and Matt for all of their hard work in making my wet room a reality. They have worked so hard to make my life so much easier. Thank you again from the bottom of my heart” – Brenda

Brenda’s Story

Two months following Brenda’s 50th Birthday in 2011 she fell ill with flu-like symptoms. Within a month she was unable to walk without the aid of a walking stick. Soon she had to use a walking frame, and her mobility continued to deteriorate so she was unable to leave the house alone or without the aid of a wheelchair/electric scooter. She couldn’t continue at her job in a pharmaceutical factory because walking aids are not allowed on the factory floor.

Brenda has been through years of rigorous tests. But sadly her condition continues to deteriorate with no official diagnosis. She now has limited movement in her  body and is constantly in pain, taking multiple medications.

There is very little anyone can do to make Brenda’s condition any better at the moment. Bbut there are ways of improving her quality of life dramatically. We all take jumping in the shower for granted. But for Brenda, installing a new wet room, thanks to the Foundation, has given her some  independence and most importantly restored her dignity and given her a better quality of life generally too.

Lorrae Mannering, Commercial Manager here at Axis, asked the Axis Foundation to help her aunt Brenda and we were delighted to support her application.

 

 

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Children in Wellingtons on waterfall at Youth Adventure Trustdisadvantaged

Youth Adventure Trust

December 8, 2021By

Helping vulnerable young people gain vital lifelong life skills through outdoor adventure

Our three annual donations to Youth Adventure Trust help vulnerable young people gain resilience, confidence and new skills that will last a lifetime – all through outdoor adventure.

“We are so grateful for the support of the Axis Foundation and your help in enabling vulnerable young people from Salisbury to flourish. The young people on our programme need our support more than ever – we simply couldn’t provide our life changing programme without donations from our generous supporters like the Axis Foundation. Thank you!” – Louise Balaam, Director of Fundraising

Year 1

In 2022, our first donation, of £3,791 to Youth Adventure Trust enabled six Year 7 pupils from Salisbury to join Youth Adventure Trust’s programme for a year. During this time the young people attended residential camps and activity days which use outdoor adventure as a platform for development.

Year 2

Our Trustees then donated a further grant of £4,950 to fund the six pupils for their second year: they attended Coastal Camp and Forest Camp, stretching their comfort zone with activities such as paddle boarding, kayaking, climbing and sleeping out on the forest floor. By challenging themselves in a supportive environment, they learn that they are capable of more than they thought!

Year 3

And then we donated £2,030 to fund these same pupils, now in Year 3! The final year of the programme is four Pathway Days:  ‘Look Back Day’, ‘Give Back Day’, ‘Looking Ahead Day’, and ‘Celebration’. At graduation they receive their Pathway Packs including ASDAN certification. We wish them all well in their final year.

Award Winners

We were delighted to hear that Youth Adventure Trust was honoured with The Pride of Wiltshire Award in March 2023: county publication Wiltshire Life presents this award to organisations which have made a significant contribution to the county and will continue to be an asset for many years to come. Well done!

More About Youth Adventure Trust

Youth Adventure Trust helps up to 360 young people gain lifelong life skills a year. The programme is completely free of charge to the young people, their families and referral agencies.

Even more about Youth Adventure Trust here

 

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Care

MS Therapy Centre (NW)

December 8, 2021By

Mobility for MS Sufferers – and their carers too – at MS Therapy Centre

Our donation of £3,173 helped MS Therapy Centre (NW) purchase a new Raizer II Chair. The Raizer II emergency lifting chair helps fallen people get back on their feet with ease. And, as it only needs one person to work it, the specialist chair helps the carers at the Centre too.

“People like you at the Axis Foundation mean we can provide the best for all our members and give them peace of mind. If someone should fall in our centre we have the equipment to safely get them up. Thank you Axis Foundation for the donation. It means the world to all of us here at the MS Therapy Centre (NW)” –  Sean Halsall Fundraiser

More about our donation

Lockdowns as a result of the Pandemic mean that MS Therapy Centre members have not been active for the past 12 months. Some have become physically unstable. Our donation will provide immediate and long term  support to members particularly after a fall – and carers too.

More about the MS Therapy Centre

Established in 2004, the MS Therapy Centre (NW) provides a wide range of therapies and services in a caring and supporting environment to enrich the lives of their 400 members and to limit the effects of MS on sufferers.

And there’s more here

 

 

 

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Rugby players in wheelchairs at London Wheelchair Rugby ClubDonations

London Wheelchair Rugby Club 

December 8, 2021By

Helping disabled people enjoy benefits of Wheelchair Rugby

Our donation of £8,250 to London Wheelchair Rugby Club helps disabled people enjoy the benefits of wheelchair rugby. Through the sport, they gain motivation and self-belief, and realise they can achieve great successes. And that’s despite the odds.

‘’We are extremely grateful to The Axis Foundation for their support. This will enable us to purchase new wheelchair spares and  tyres. We are delighted! A huge thank you from all the LWRC team.

“Our recent success at the Tokyo Paralympics demonstrates how vital our training sessions are, not just for our players who are an inspiration to all, but for the social element training sessions deliver. Training plays a vital part in our players’ lives. The physical and mental benefits cannot be overstated” – Steve Palmer, Chairman

More about our donations

The Axis Foundation donated £2,000 to LWRC in 2019 to help purchase training equipment and and put towards tournament fees. In 2021, the club asked for a further donation of £8,250 to help pay for wheelchair spare wheels and tyres. We were pleased to lend our support to their own fundraising once more.

More about London Wheelchair Rugby Club

Formed in 1989, LWRC has grown from very small beginnings. Members run the club – for members. Most of the players are on disability allowances only. LWRC aims to pay for their transport and training sessions. LWRC training sessions offer a lifeline to disabled people. They benefit from being part of a team and also from regular training to maintain their fitness levels and rehabilitation. This proved even more vital after months of isolation caused by Lockdowns during the Pandemic.

Find out more about London Wheelchair Rugby Club here

 

 

 

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Children at play Kinetic Science FoundationDonations

Kinetic Science Foundation

December 8, 2021By

We help equip sensory room for children at new Interactive Science Centre

The Axis Foundation donated £3,900 to the Kinetic Science Foundation to help them purchase toys and equipment including a bubble machine for their “all senses” room. Here children with additional needs – and indeed all children – can enjoy a tranquil space and re-charge. A further donation of £4,900 in 2022 enabled them to purchase a Mirror Ball and Projector.

“We are exceptionally grateful for this donation which makes a difference to children of all ages and aids their well-being with a space to relax and be a calm oasis. This donation allows us to make our Senses Room accessible to all. The Senses Room is in our new Interactive Science Centre: the largest in East Anglia. Over 40,000 people per year will enjoy the new centre”  –  Debbie Ball CEO and Founder

About the Kinetic Science Foundation

The Kinetic Science Foundation was established in 2015 to inspire all young people to enjoy Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. They do this by providing outreach projects, festivals and roadshows and exciting workshops like Bodily Functions, Pop-up Planetarium and Marquee Rain Forest. The Kinetic Science Foundation has delivered their programme to over 165,000 young people.

There’s more about the Kinetic Science Foundation here

 

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People with balloons at Hutton Community CentreCommunity

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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Safer home for little boy with epilepsy

September 7, 2021By

Safer home for Curtis who has a rare form of epilepsy – Dravet Syndrome

Curtis, age four, suffers from frequent seizures and needs round-the-clock care. And summer heatwaves resulted in a seizure and a hospital visit for Curtis and his parents Emily and Carl.

On behalf of Curtis and his family, James Garlick, Digital & IT Service Delivery Manager at Axis, applied to the Axis Foundation for support – in the form of air-conditioning units. James explained that simply keeping Curtis cool reduces the constant risk of seizure and makes his home safer for him.

The Axis Foundation paid for the air con, and Axis operatives installed the units in Curtis’ bedroom and playroom and in the lounge.

“We want to say a huge thank you to the Foundation for investing in this for us. We can never convey how much your support means to our family – you’ve made our home a safe place for Curtis all year round” – Emily, Curtis’ mum

Curtis’ mother Emily explains more

“Due to Curtis’s very rare syndrome (Dravet) he is unable to properly regulate his temperature. This is a significant issue because when he gets too hot he is susceptible to seizures. These can range from increased seizure activity, leaving him unable to focus on a task, to a full tonic clonic seizure, involving initiating his rescue plan and a trip to A&E.

“This led us to start to feel anxious for him around the summer months, especially with increasingly frequent spikes in temperature for prolonged periods. We invested in portable air con units but these confined Curtis confined to two rooms of the house; often being fed, playing and changed in one room all day.

“He’s a reasonably active four year old, who wants to run about from time to time. So this often led to frustrations for both him and us. Furthermore, moving the air con units around the house is extremely difficult because they weigh around 30kgs each.

The difference for Curtis

“The new, properly fitted air con allows Curtis to live and play safely and normally in the house as any child should. He will be able to use the full extent of downstairs now and we can let him run around without fear that he’ll overheat due to the weather.

The difference for Emily and Carl

“It really will be life changing for us. We’ll no longer have to carry a unit up to his bedroom to try and cool it before he sleeps and can hopefully adjust the temperature to keep him cool all night.

It’s a massive relief for us and gives us back a bit of normality in the summer months. It will remove the constant anxiety we have for him in the summer.”

Thanks to Axis Foundation from Curtis’ grandparents

We can never thank you enough… It was the most wonderful gift you could bestow on Curtis and our family – the continuation of our dear little grandson’s life. It is so wonderful in 21st century when we hear on the news everyday of shootings; stabbings and all the violence that a lot of people impose on their fellow humans to hear of people who are prepared to go that extra mile at their own expense, to help families have a better quality of life.

More about Dravet Syndrome here

 

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men on building site community centre Dads LaneCommunity

Dads Lane Community Association

September 7, 2021By

Donation refurbishes local centre helping to build community spirit

Dads Lane Community Association founded a vital community centre in Stirchley, Birmingham. And the Axis Foundation donated £5,000 to help refurbish the café/kitchen here. The café/kitchen will provide refreshments and community meals as well as space for knit and natter, parenting and mental health groups.

 “We are over the moon to receive this generous grant from the Axis Foundation. It will make a huge difference in the refurbishment of this important local community centre.

”This area has few local facilities, activities, or general spaces for the local community. It lacks the amenities that usually cultivate community spirit and unity. There are pockets of real deprivation, disadvantage and isolation here.  And so people lack opportunities to address their issues” –  Steve Squires, Chair of Trustees

More about the works

The plans at Dads Lane include creating a community garden with raised beds. There will be training spaces for employability and volunteering programmes as well as the café/kitchen. The centre will be fully accessible inside and out.

Axis in the Midlands

Our parent company Axis Europe works for many of the Midlands’ major social housing landlords from our local offices in Oldbury. In accordance with our Core Value 6 – A community we contribute to will welcome and value us – and in addition to Axis’ regular CI activities throughout the Midlands, the Foundation was very pleased to support Dads Lane Community Association. The Axis Foundation is proud to say we are ‘at the heart of the community’.

You can read more about Dads Lane Community Association here 

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