Demelza Thank You videoNews

Thank You Videos for our 10th Birthday

July 8, 2019By

Demelza has been close to the hearts of everyone at Axis since the very beginning of the foundation. In fact, our involvement with Demelza extends even further back than the birth of the Axis Foundation; we’ve continuously supported them for 15 years.

As the foundation celebrates a decade of donations, Demelza looks back on what our support has helped them to achieve:

“You’ve helped our staff support families through the saddest time that I think most people can imagine, through the death of their child. You’ve also helped us create some of the happiest moments that those children and those families have had, helping them to experience adventures, new challenges… and create memories that live on forever.”
Ryan Campbell CBE Demelza Chief Executive

Watch the video to see what Demelza had to say about Axis’ support over the years:

Words from our other Charity Friends

Causes that we have supported over the years had plenty to say for our 10th Birthday. Here are some snippets from the special videos they sent us.

Elevating Success

“The Major benefits of the funding from the Axis Foundation was to support the local residents, especially young people in celebrating their achievements to the community.”
Watch the full video here

Freddie Farmer Foundation

“The Axis Foundation have really helped us to achieve funding for this machine which has been hugely beneficial for the children…”
Watch the full video here

Arts For All

“We were able to take 12 adults with learning disabilities on a holiday to Devon with the donation, an event that they look forward to every year…”
Watch the full video here

Accuro

“Your donation has helped us continue to provide transport that supports people with disabilities maintain their mobility and social connnection.”
Watch the full video here

For Jimmy

“With the funding from Axis we were able to start our young citizens program, to go into school to work with young people, encouraging them to be the change makers and to make our communities safer…”
Watch the full video here

Holly Lodge

“With your donation we were able to bring 10 classes from deprived areas and we also worked with 2 classes of children with disabilities allowing children to get outside and discover nature…”
Watch the full video here

Ragged School Museum

“We are very grateful to the Axis Foundation because they gave us money towards our family learning holidays… We couldn’t do without this help.”
Watch the full video here

 Imber Metz

A massive thank you to the Axis Foundation…Without their support, we wouldn’t be able to do half of what we actually do.”
Watch the video here

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Care

Beyond The Streets – Door of Hope

July 1, 2019By

Helping provide routes out of prostitution for women in Tower Hamlets

In 2019, The Axis Foundation’s first donation of £5,000 supported Beyond the Streets’ Door of Hope. This project offers hope, support and routes out of prostitution for women in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets in East London.

“Thank you for the generous donation… Your support will enable our Door of Hope team to continue to provide specialist support and genuine routes out for women involved in prostitution on the streets of the East End. You are ensuring that we can reach more women to offer consistency and a compassionate response to overcome the barriers they face. Thank you for standing with us, we are stronger with your support to tackle sexual exploitation in our community” – Josephine Knowles, Co-Director for Services

In 2023, the Axis Foundation Trustees agreed to make another award – of £1,286 – towards Door of Hope. This second donation will cover the cost of personal alarms (to help the women feel safer when in the area at night), identity documentation (including replacement birth certificates to them to get a Citizens Photo ID card for free which means they can then access vital services such as benefits and housing) and personal toiletries (to ensure that women do not have to sell sex more frequently in order to purchase basic products like toothpaste, shampoo, shower gel, deodorant and sanitary towels).

“Thank you so much for this award! It will make a real difference to the women we journey alongside” – Victoria Curtis, Grants Manager

More About Beyond the Streets

For over 20 years Beyond the Streets have been working with women experiencing sexual exploitation as they journey to safer, heathier and happier lives. As a specialist charity they have an in-depth understanding of the complexity’s women face, the underlying causes of entry, and the multiple barriers to exiting. Working directly with women, the Door of Hope project provides a safe space for the women’s voices to be heard and for them to receive support and advocacy via specialist Women’s Support Workers. Using a trauma-informed, person-centred model, women can process feelings and safety plan whilst increasing their confidence and self-agency, so they themselves can identify their own needs and devise their own journeys to a future where they can thrive.

Alongside the Door of Hope project, Beyond the Street delivers a remote, UK-wide, free and confidential call-back service, Beyond Support, that also provides support and advocacy to women involved in selling sex. In both projects they work with local, specialist services to provide holistic and accessible support for women. They also run an affiliate network for 35+ other organisations who work within the theme; develop and deliver training for the third sector and statutory professionals; as well as create practitioner resources and reports that are uniquely informed by up-to-date research, lived experience and practitioner experience.  This is all with the aim of reducing stigma and barriers to support services, and to create much needed systemic change so no women are compelled to sell sex due to poverty, coercion, or violence.

CASE STUDY kindly provided by Beyond the Streets
April’s story

When we met April, she was using crack and heroine, involved in the criminal justice system for drug related offences, and selling sex frequently on the street. Our street outreach team connected with her until she got to a place where she wanted to access our 1:1 daytime support. Our trained Women’s Support Workers (WSW) provided 1:1 non-judgemental specialist listening space. Utilising a trauma-informed and women-centred approach, April had the opportunity to process her feelings and the trauma she had experienced early and later in life. This helped her develop confidence and self-agency in preparation for change. The WSW helped her access services by directly advocating for her with professionals and through partner referral organisations. This prevented her from having to re-tell her ‘story’ and risk re-traumatisation.

This work involved helping her to reduce her drug use through our partnership with a local specialist service and advocating for appropriate housing for her until she was placed in funded supported accommodation. April was also struggling with mental health difficulties,  processing trauma, and had been experiencing domestic abuse by her long-term partner. April’s Women’s Support Worker was able to secure free counselling. She also helped her access Universal Credit to support April and remove her money worries so she could focus on reaching her identified future goals. April was able to maintain zero contact with the perpetrator of the abuse she had previous suffered, who up until this point had remained in her life.

April has since applied for, and successfully secured a new job.

April has shared with us that ‘You never gave up on me and often you were the only support holding me up –I’m a new person and I’m excited about my future.”

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Axis Person fundraising for Demelza with skydiveNews

In our Element – 12 Months of Fun Fundraising

May 22, 2019By

Axis people are in our element – snow, ice, water, air, mud – when we are fundraising. Swimming, boxing, flying, running, climbing, walking, dancing, eating (even not eating) – there’s no stopping us!

In the last twelve months (2018/9) we raised nearly £40,000 for Demelza Children’s Hospice and of course our very own Axis Foundation. You’ll have seen us in our office-based Axis Bake Offs and Charity Dress Down Fridays. Plus you may have spotted some of us:

In the Water

Laura Tuck’s Swimming Challenge raised £565

In the Air

Sadie Hack’s Skydive raised £768

In the Ring

Rebecca Lock’s Kickboxing Tournament raised £110

On Terra Firma

22 Axis Tough Mudders got down and dirty and raised £4,500; 20 of our lovely RLOs took a more sedate walk in the park, raising £1,300. Nicola Williams’ South Coast Challenge raised £1,300; Nayim Rahman’s City Runs contributed £447 and our brave runners who completed The Big Half Marathon put £4,000 into the collection tin.

And on Terra not so firm!

Five Men on summit of Arctic Mountain for Demelza Arctic Challenge Fundraiser
Ain’t no mountain high enough! Our brave chilly challengers, Axis Arctic Challenge Team completed a four-day 100km trek up Mt Kebnekaise, the highest mountain in Sweden and raised £10,000. Their hearts were greatly warmed by enthusiastic peer support at the Arctic Challenge Quiz Night (£1,700) and Race Night (£1,200). Their courage scooped them Demelza’s Bespoke Fundraising Event of the Year Award.

On the Dance Floor

Our Axis Disco raised funds to the tune of £2,000.
And finally…

On – and off – a Diet

Selection of cakes at Bake sale fundraising for Demelza
Afternoon Tea Week and Sarah Cooper’s Cake sale put £400 worth of icing on the cake; Michelle Wilson’s Biggest Loser Competition gained an impressive £78. And the seven brave chocoholics who gave up chocolate during Dechox for Demelza added a sweet £745 to the melting pot.

But that’s not all!

Our annual Axis Foundation Charity Ball and Axis Foundation Celebrity Golf Day both took place again this year, adding even more to the fundraising pot for great causes.

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Walsall Wood Colliers Under 12s Football TeamDonations

Walsall Wood Colliers U12s Football Team

April 30, 2019By

League-winning U12s Football Team receives a champion sum

The Axis Foundation’s donation of £370 will help towards buying the Walsall Wood Colliers U12s football team a brand new kit in their home colour, red, for next season. Here are the league winners in their away kit of blue and yellow.

I was absolutely delighted to receive the donation from Axis Foundation on behalf of Walsall Wood Colliers. This will help us kit out our team for next season. The coaches put in a lot of hours running a team and every bit of help is welcome as we rely on donations and sponsorship for all our kit and equipment which enable the kids to train and play” – Julian Worrall, Coach and Manager

More about Walsall Wood Colliers

Walsall Wood Colliers Under 12s is one of Walsall Wood FC’s many junior youth teams. The Colliers’ Manager and Coach is Julian Worrall who has been in this role for six years. Julian volunteers a large amount of his ‘spare’ time to coach and manage his junior youth team which numbers 18 in all.

“We are very focused on the community at Walsall Wood FC,” Julian says. “Our aim in the Junior Youth League is to encourage and develop children to play sport and to be part of a team. We get them off their computers and outside.”

As Julian’s son used to play for the Colliers too, he is in a good position to know the benefits of playing in a youth squad for young people. He says: “I like seeing how the children develop over the years. Some of them started in our Academy and have the opportunity to go right on through to the Senior team on their footballing journey. They are like an extended family.”

There are over 30 teams at Walsall Wood FC which is a registered charity and Chartered FA Club: from the Academy 5-7s to the Under 18s including girls teams and (soon) a team for people with disability. All the coaches/managers are FA licensed and all are volunteers.

 

 

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Young Man at the Fluence Foundation being helped with his communication skillsDonations

Fluence Foundation

April 30, 2019By

Literacy skills lead to education and employment

Fluence Foundation helps vulnerable adults and young people, including the homeless and ex-offenders, improve communication skills leading to education and employment.

The Axis Foundation’s donation of £2,400 will purchase the licence for the Communicate software to help 30 more people gain literacy and communication skills so they can receive formal education and gain employment.

“On behalf of the Fluence Foundation, I would like to thank Axis Foundation for their kind donation to our project. With your help we will be able to help the homeless clients of Birmingham Crisis by diagnosing any literacy difficulties they might have and provide practical support to overcome these difficulties. Doing so will ensure they have the skills needed to access the other services Crisis provide and stand a better chance of being able to improve their situation” – Paul Bruton, Project Co-Ordinator

More About Fluence Foundation

Those without basic communication (reading, writing, talking) skills become vulnerable, dependent and isolated, finding it hard to connect with others, to engage with society. They are often unable to access employment, training or education to improve their lot. West Midlands-based Fluence runs support sessions using a catch-up, one-to-one intervention called Communicate. They report a significant beneficial impact on the confidence and literacy/communication skills of the people they help in a very short time.

Communicate diagnoses areas of weakness, then focuses on teaching high-frequency language and key grammar rules. Its learning structure uses repetition and achievable successes to ensure the learner grows in confidence and masters the language. Training in speaking clearly and making eye contact, answering a phone or being interviewed is also given – all are examples of communication that, when mastered, lead ultimately to independence.

The Fluence Foundation has successfully run three projects: two helped ex-offenders towards employment; the third gave unemployed adults the literacy skills to access training and employment.

 

 

 

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Care

HOPE

April 3, 2019By

Support for children with epilepsy and their families

The Axis Foundation’s £2,000 donation to HOPE will buy Anti-Suffocation Pillows for children with Epilepsy. Anti Suffocation Pillows help those lying face down with convulsive seizures to breathe more easily thereby helping to prevent brain damage and death.

“The HOPE Team are absolutely thrilled that the Axis Foundation has agreed to make a donation to help HOPE fund Anti Suffocation Pillows for children with Complex Epilepsy. From the bottom of my heart thank you to you all at the Axis Foundation for this generous donation! We can help so many children now with our Anti Suffocation Pillow Project. It’s truly amazing and We are over the moon. Once again, thank you Axis Foundation for assisting us carrying on our work”
Dr Nadine Gurr – Chair

“We are extremely grateful to the Axis Foundation for their kind donation to HOPE. Childhood epilepsy can be stressful for the whole family, particularly as many children with epilepsy also have additional needs. This generous donation will help us in our aim to support children with epilepsy and their families. It will be used to buy Anti-Suffocation Pillows, which families tell us can help to reduce their worries about their children sleeping in their own bedrooms at night”
Dr Sophie Bennett – Vice Chair

More About HOPE

At HOPE children with epilepsy can meet each other, have fun, learn to “enjoy life” and not feel so alone. Volunteers play with the children and their siblings and provide respite for the parents. HOPE encourages parents of children with epilepsy and carers to meet, relax over refreshments, share information and build relationships. This helps reduce stress and anxiety enabling them to be better emotionally equipped to support their child.

Overall, HOPE aims to promote awareness regarding the problems and circumstances of families living with epilepsy. The children who attend London-based HOPE suffer from complex epilepsy with different seizure types. Many have other conditions associated with complex epilepsy such as autism, developmental delay, ADHD and physical disabilities.

HOPE’s Anti Sudden Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) Project provides Anti Suffocation Pillows free of charge to any child living in the Greater London area who suffers from convulsive seizures

 

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Swimming lessons funding being given to young boyDonations

Support Tommy Brown Fund

March 29, 2019By

Providing swimming lessons for little Tommy

In March 2012 Tommy Brown contracted the ‘B strain’ of meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia. The disease was so aggressive and extensive that he was given only a 5 per cent chance of survival. Despite this, he defied the odds and did survive; but his parents were given the devastating news that he was going have to lose all four of his limbs. In total, Tommy spent a total of three months in hospital undergoing surgery, including six weeks in the intensive care unit.

Julie Tuckley, Tommy’s mum said: “It makes me cry to see Tommy alert and looking about, then looking at where his hands and legs used to be, as if he is wondering where they are. It was so painful to see him suffer and go through the operations – we’re very lucky to still have our beautiful boy.”

Seven years later, Tommy is now a courageous young boy who adapts remarkably well to everyday life and the challenges thrown at him. He loves swimming; and has swimming lessons at local swimming baths. When he is swimming Tommy says he feels free.

Our donation of £1,600 is funding Tommy’s swimming lessons for a year.

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Help for children who have a disability affecting their movement control.Disability

The Movement Centre

March 25, 2019By

Help for children with disability affecting their movement control

The Movement Centre offers a specialist therapy, Targeted Training, which helps children who have a disability affecting their movement control.

The Axis Foundation’s donation of £3,000 will give children who come to The Movement Centre a personalised activity pack and enhance the sensory items at the Centre.

“We are extremely grateful to the Axis Foundation for their generous support of The Movement Centre. We provide a specialist therapy called Targeted Training to help children with movement disabilities to gain control of their movement, which means they can have far more independence. The grant will enable us to create activity packs and purchase sensory item so that we can enhance our therapy sessions. This will give the children who come to The Movement Centre an even better chance of reaching their full potential”  – Victoria Handbury-Madin, Chief Executive

More About The Movement Centre

Unique to The Movement Centre, Targeted Training combines a specialist standing frame and physiotherapy. The child remains in an upright position while the standing frame stabilises and supports him. Daily practise is essential so encouraging and engaging the child is an important part of Targeted Training.

A course of Targeted Training can help children: gain head control, so they can interact with their family; develop the skills to sit unaided, so that they can play with their friends and even learn to walk, so they can be far more independent. Goals are specific and measurable and detailed reports are written at each assessment and at the end of the course, where all outcome measures are reviewed. These are shared with the family and the child’s other clinicians.

Many of the children who come to the Shropshire-based Movement Centre have Cerebral Palsy or Global Developmental Delay, but Targeted Training therapy can also be suitable for children who have an acquired brain injury, Down Syndrome and other Genetic Disorders.

“Parents were very pleased with the support and treatment their children received at the centre and reported they were ‘amazed’ at the progress their children were making” – Care Quality Commission

Reports from parents of children who have a disability affecting their movement control

“We feel more confident that Eddie is ready for each new step! The regular follow ups are brilliant.”

“The Movement Centre team have given Henry the confidence and strength that he needs on his road to independence, we can’t thank you enough.”

“Absolutely amazing team, working wonders with our son Harry. Couldn’t be any more happy.”

“It’s been one of the best things we could have done for Rosa. Her life has changed for the better because of the treatment from The Movement Centre.”

“Everyone/all the family has benefitted greatly from Targeted Training and the help and the support we’ve received from TMC.”

“It’s given our son an amazing chance to work towards his independence.”

 

 

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Ten years of giving logo is Large-10-graphic-with-red-anniversary-bannerNews

Decade of Donations – our 10th birthday

March 1, 2019By

The Axis Foundation celebrates 10 years of giving in 2019.  Since the Foundation started making donations, we have given over £1.3 million to 170 small, impactful and local causes.

Ten years of giving

Since 2009, in hospitals and hospices we have provided vital equipment and improved facilities for the sick and those with life-limiting illnesses. We have funded medical research into children’s illnesses and provided nursing care.

The Foundation has supported anti-knife crime and youth safety initiatives. And reached out the hand of friendship to those who are isolated through practical donations in the form of adapted minibuses and cars.

We have helped vulnerable children and adults feel safe and warm and to meet, socialise and engage in activities as well as receive appropriate care and facilities.

Money perhaps cannot buy happiness, but our donations have certainly brought millions of smiles and support and relief to those in need.

Where we started

The people of Axis set the very first Foundation stone with their spirit of giving.

Says CEO John Hayes: “I set the Foundation up originally to try and formalise and capture all the elements of “giving” that we were already doing right across the company. To say it has exceeded my wildest expectations in ten years of giving is a massive understatement.”

Axis people – ten years of fundraising activity

To support the charitable arm of their company Axis people demonstrate amazing enthusiasm and inventiveness in in ten years of giving. They have run marathons, climbed mountains, abseiled and jumped from planes with parachutes. The braved tough mudders and paintballing. Others test their brain cells at Quiz Nights and bake beautiful products for sale. Some have had their heads shaved or danced til they drop at a fundraiser disco. There is no limit to their imagination, resourcefulness or their generosity.

And our friends and clients help too…

Further funds are raised through our Charity Golf Day and Charity Ball where our very generous guests dig deep for the Foundation.

And it all goes to…

The funds they all raise go into the Axis Foundation, along with a sizeable corporate donation from Axis. From here here they are distributed to small, worthy and local causes, to give people a hand up – rather than a hand out.

Thank you

… To all who have helped the Foundation’s work in the communities we serve. Here’s to the next ten years of giving!

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Live performances for patrons with additional needsDisability

Worcester Live

February 27, 2019By

Improving access for theatre goers with disability

Worcester Live has increased the access for 1250 people at the Worcester Rep by offering support to theatre patrons with additional needs. These include:

  • signed performances  for deaf and hearing impaired patrons;
  • audio described performances  for blind and visual impaired patrons
  • relaxed performance – for audience members with specific disabilities such as autism, learning difficulties, physical disabilities, spectrum conditions and dementia

The Axis Foundation’s donation of £3,000 to Worcester Live will go towards paying for the expert specialised trained interpreter who will deliver signed performances for deaf and hearing-impaired patrons and also to necessary specialised equipment. This will help Worcester Live continue to provide this service of access for patrons with disabilities and specialised needs.

“We are delighted to have received the donation from the Axis Foundation, which will help us in reaching out to our patrons with additional needs. The support, which is so valuable, will help us in providing Signed, Audio Described and Relaxed performances at the Swan Theatre during the next year.

“We are so thrilled to be able to offer minority groups in our community the opportunity to come into our venue and see shows, knowing they are being provided for at a level that is right for them and accessing the performances no matter what their additional needs may be.

“Thank you for helping us to make the magic of live theatre become real for all our community” – Chris Jaeger, Chief Executive, Worcester Live

 

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