Children at Holy Lodge Centre learning about natureDonations

Holly Lodge Centre

May 14, 2018By

Granting urban children chance to discover nature at Outdoor Learning Centre

Holly Lodge Centre is an outdoor learning centre in Richmond Park. Here they’ve adapted their beautiful two-acre nature trail to allow children – including those with even the most complex needs – to access the natural world.

In 2017, over 5,600 children – 678 of whom were disabled – attended Holly Lodge Centre natural world workshops. For some it was their very first encounter with nature. Many of the pupils live in high rise flats and attend schools with tarmac outdoor areas. They met tadpoles, newts, stag beetles and even slugs and snails: some had never seen such creatures before.

In 2018, the Axis Foundation granted £4,000 towards the outdoor learning centre to create more workshops and provide additional transport so that more children can attend.

“This donation is so exciting, giving children living in urban areas the opportunity to get outside and discover for themselves fantastic invertebrates, birds and pond creatures.

“We can immediately see the benefit these children get from being in a natural space, they get so excited to even see ants! It is most amazing for children who struggle in the classroom, their teachers are delighted to see them so enthusiastic to learn about wildlife in our beautiful setting.

“It is vital that children have the opportunity to explore and discover nature; even more so for children with disabilities who have least access to the outside world.

“Thanks to the generous donation from the Axis Foundation we were able to deliver 12 free workshops… The feedback from the sessions was overwhelming positive with 100% of the schools scoring each session with 5 out of 5 for the group enjoying the session and for the session meeting their curriculum requirements” – Anna King, Centre Manager

What the teachers said

  • “Exciting, engaging tasks….. we loved the pollen games, making a tree, potting plants and the leaves’ hunt. It was perfect, thank you so much”
  • “Hands-on pond dipping enthralled our pupils. Very happy with our experiences, we would love a longer day”
  • “The children really enjoyed looking for bugs and lifting logs to see what was underneath them”
  • “The level of detail in each session was really valuable, the class particularly enjoyed the camouflage”
  • “All of it was really good, especially the outdoor activities where the children can get stuck in with nature”

 

 

 

 

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Members of the Choir With No Name sing togetherCommunity

Choir With No Name

May 10, 2018By

Our notes help Community Choir support homeless and socially marginalised through singing

The Choir with No Name (CWNN) is a community choir for people affected by homelessness and marginalisation. CWNN’s vision is that all people have a place they belong. A place where anyone can come and sing their hearts out. Their mission is to enable as many homeless and marginalised people as possible to beat loneliness and build their confidence and skills through singing. Communal singing is proven to be hugely beneficial for both physical and mental health. So, they were delighted to receive a sum of £5,000 from the Axis Foundation.

“We are thrilled to have the support of Axis Foundation. Our London choir is a positive and non-judgmental space where the most isolated members of the community can build up a network of support, grow in confidence, sing away their worries and get themselves back on their feet.”

“The Axis Foundation’s generosity means that we will be able to continue to run rehearsals in central London all year round, reaching more people affected by homelessness in the city and introducing them to the multiple benefits of singing together.”

“We are extremely grateful, thank you!” – Rachel Clare, Fundraising and Communications Manager

More About our Grant

The Axis Foundation’s £5,000 grant will support the music delivery costs of the London choir, including the Choir Director and rehearsal venue hire fees. Support for these costs in 2018/19 will enable them to offer community choir rehearsals 48 weeks of the year, create 12 gig opportunities for members at inspirational venues across the capital and host 12 outreach singing workshops for people at risk of homelessness and marginalised community members.  The community choir project aims to engage with 230 individuals through their rehearsals and outreach programme throughout the year.

More About The Choir with No Name

The Choir with No Name London is based in the borough of Camden but is open to all boroughs in London. They also run choirs in Birmingham and Liverpool, and launched a brand new choir in Brighton in August 2018. In 2017/18 they worked with 764 marginalised adults across all choirs (278 via rehearsals and 486 via outreach singing workshops). CWNN rehearsals are followed by a hot meal and then the opportunity to socialise. Volunteers do the cooking and provide pastoral care and practical support too.

 

 

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graphic of axis people, golfer, couple and bag of money surrounding large tenNews

Foundation History: forever at the heart of the community

April 18, 2018By

When John and Tim Hayes formed property business Axis in 1986, the brothers also created Axis’ Core Values. Axis Core Value Number Six is A community we contribute to will welcome and value us. This was the  the cornerstone of what was to become the Axis Foundation – the heart of the community.

 

The Axis spirit

From very early days, the newly-fledged Axis actively gave back to the local communities where the business operated. Everyone who worked at Axis embraced the Core Values of the Company, particularly Core Value Number Six.

A spirit of giving ran through the company; fundraising activities were resourceful, imaginative – and successful – focusing on helping individuals and causes who could make a difference to local lives.

 

The Foundation stones

As CEO John says: “I set the Foundation up to formalise and capture all the elements of giving that already existed across the company, particularly giving back in the communities where we were working.”

John Hayes created the Axis Foundation in 2009; donations started formally in 2010.

The motto? To be “at the heart of the community”.

Perks of growth mean giving more

In the early days of the business, the family’s focus was clearly on developing a strong and successful business. Fast Forward to today, with an annual turnover of over £8m and with over 800+ people working for their company, brothers John and Tim Hayes can say that their business has indeed flourished.

And one of their greatest perks of growth and success has been their continued ability to support individuals and causes in the local communities where their business operates.

In 2019, the award-winning Foundation celebrates its tenth birthday; plus the fact it has donated more than £1.3m to over 170 small, local and impactful causes.

This money is raised through staff initiatives and fundraising activities, an annual corporate donation, plus generous support from clients at calendar highlights the Axis Charity Golf Day and the Axis Foundation Charity Ball.

Still at the heart of the community

In the Midlands, Thamesmead, Croydon, Cardiff, Liverpool and Kent as well as throughout London, for example, we work on long-term, renewed contracts with housing providers.

Investing in our local communities, we are able to source materials through local supply chains and offer employment and apprenticeships to young people.

We know that money cannot buy happiness per se, but on top of this community investment, the Foundation’s donations to small, impactful and local causes and individuals in these geographical areas, have brought many a smile to local faces!

The Axis Foundation is still “the heart of the community” – just as we were  in 2009!.

 

“Giving back is in our DNA. We’ve tried to focus on the areas where we’re active by supporting small and meaningful causes rather than big and grandiose ones. Everybody at Axis gets involved in one way or another through volunteering or fundraising” – Axis Foundation Trustee/Axis Chief Executive John Hayes

“Axis has always had a sense of social responsibility. The Foundation supports local causes that offer a direct benefit to those in need of a hand up, rather than a hand out” – Axis Foundation Chairman, Peter Varney

“The work of the Foundation is very important to us and I’m very thankful to everyone who contributes to its work. Through the efforts, enthusiasm, commitment and generosity of all our people, and our clients too, we can really make a difference” – Axis Foundation Trustee Sandie Ryan

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Transporting children with disabilities in donated carDisability

Lifelong Family Links

April 12, 2018By

Giving transport for children with disabilities

Lifelong Family Links provides short breaks and stimulating outings for children and young people with medium to severe disabilities. These include Autistic Spectrum Disorders, Special Educational Needs and a range of physical and sensory disabilities. They give lifts to 560 young people, enabling them to lead fuller and more stimulating lives.

Our donation of £3,000 helped to purchase a new car for the charity. The car is wheelchair accessible and will transport the young people to social activities, family outings, swim clubs and more.

“It’s not fair that these children are socially disadvantaged without access to the same leisure or transport experiences as other young people. We hope that this donation will provide enjoyable experiences for the children in a safe and comfortable environment with professional carers” – Joe Ibrahim, Axis Foundation Trustee

Our Previous Support

In 2012, the Foundation donated £2,500 to Lifelong Family Links’  summer activity programme. The grant covered the cost of mini-bus transport, carer support and sporting activities including swimming, wall-climbing, football and horse riding. These activities are otherwise inaccessible to the children and their families due to the extra support they require.

“The LFL is extremely grateful for the Axis Foundation’s support. Without funding, the Summer playscheme for these disabled children simply couldn’t happen. Then these young people, especially those with severe autism and severe disabilities, would most likely be sitting at home for the duration of the summer holidays because it is a struggle for their parents to take them out” – Lambeth Family Link’s Marva Trenton.

More About Lifelong Family Links

Lifelong Family Links was initially set up in 1982 to support children with disabilities and their parents in the Lambeth area. They now run afterschool clubs, holiday play schemes, a befriending service, an allotment gardening project and a Saturday club for over 200 disabled children/young people.

 

 

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Child touches interactive wall in sensory room at Mapledown SchoolDonations

Mapledown School

April 12, 2018By

Providing immersive sensory room for children with Special Educational Needs

The Axis Foundation granted £3,000 to Mapledown School, helping to fund a sensory room. This is an immersive environment that helps children to learn and captures their imaginations. It is highly interactive. Students touch imagery projected onto the walls which emits a response, like bubbles appearing in a virtual aquarium or stars in the night sky. The room also features an Eye Gaze station where students can play educational games with their eye movements, which are tracked using a detector.

Our donation paid for ceiling work that enabled projectors and an interactive music system to be installed and also purchased an APPlicator device that allows students who are unable to use their hands to interact with a tablet.

“We are grateful for the generous donation of the Axis Foundation which has provided more opportunities for our students to learn and explore through lessons and recreation” – Daniel Green, Mapledown School

More about Mapledown

Some of Mapledown School’s pupils have sensory impairments, physical difficulties or challenging behaviour. Therefore, the school’s resources include a multi-sensory room, a hydrotherapy pool, a soft play room and a fully equipped gym. This ensures that every child receives the support they need. Friends of Mapledown is a registered charity that helps to raise money for the school’s specialist equipment, which is usually very expensive by nature. The charity is formed of a small group of teachers and parents that also contribute towards gifts for the children and extracurricular activities where they can.

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Children enjoy physiotherapy swimming lesson at Waterwings swimming club.Donations

Waterwings

April 12, 2018By

Swimming classes for children with disability

Waterwings is a fully accessible swimming club that provides occupational therapy for children with physical and learning disabilities. It also offers hydrotherapy.

The Axis Foundation’s donation of £3,600 will pay for the use of the school pool, a lifeguard cover and a hydrotherapy trained physiotherapist for a year.

“This funding is essential for the running of Waterwings. Without it we would not be able to provide vital, life enhancing therapy and play for these wonderful children. This type of facility is not available anywhere else locally and we thank Axis Foundation so much for helping us to ensure it continues” – Tracy Smith, Fundraiser

More About Waterwings

Waterwings is the only swimming club in St Leonards on Sea that provides fully accessible swimming lessons, occupational therapy and hydrotherapy. Sessions take place at St Mary’s School, Bexhill where the school pool is specifically designed for children with special needs. It has a hoist, changing areas for children with physical disabilities and accessible car parking for carers and parents.

Waterwings’ children have a range of disabilities: Cerebral Palsy, Spina Bifida, heart problems, developmental delay, Downs Syndrome, Muscular Dystrophy, learning disabilities or autism. Whilst some children can walk with support and others are wheelchair dependent, they all have difficulty in getting into the water and need assistance or hoisting. Local facilities are in the main unsuitable and, importantly, unsafe, because of overcrowding, lack of hoists and the pools’ temperature.

It is well documented that children with physical disabilities benefit from regular targeted occupational therapy. Hydrotherapy (no longer available through the NHS) helps with bone and muscle development. It also provides relief from muscle spasm and teaches patterns of movement that are vital for posture, sitting, standing and walking.

 

 

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Stepney Scouts and scout leaders kayak down river.Donations

Stepney Scouts

April 9, 2018By

Funding for scout group enourages young people in outdoor activities

The 9th Stepney Scout Group wanted to help local youngsters engage in more outdoors activities like kayaking and canoeing on the local canals and rivers. Local sports facilities were proving expensive for the group and their families.

The Axis Foundation donated £4,500 to fund the scout group; they’ve matched this sum. The money will be used to purchase kayaks and all the associated equipment and safety aids.

Our funding for the scout group will mean that young people can set out on the local waterways of East London in their kayaks, enabling them to gain their “Time on the Water” and “Paddle Sports” badges. The lasting impact of our donation will be the skills and bonds that these experiences will form for the youngsters whilst they are on the water.

The The 9th Stepney Scout Group of 65 young people aged 8 to 18, based in Tower Hamlets, East London, is run by volunteers.

“Joining in the activities with the group is fun, we get to learn new skills that we wouldn’t get from school. I enjoy taking park in kayaking and raft building. I can’t wait for the summer!” Julia (13 Years Old).

“I can’t believe that the leaders have been able to get our own boats, now we can spend more time on the water” Carlos (11 Years Old)

 

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Outdoor and indoor produce growing at OrganicleaCommunity

Organiclea

March 5, 2018By

Accessibility enhancements at community food project

For those with physical disabilities who attend Organiclea in Chingford, gardening is an invaluable physical intervention, developing strength, co-ordination, balance and motor skills.

The Axis Foundation’s donation of £1,000 will increase the community food project’s accessibility for those with disabilities – for example by improving wheelchair access and providing raised beds as accessible outdoor growing areas.

“We were so happy to receive funding from the Axis Foundation, allowing us to improve our facilities for those with special needs, particularly wheelchair users, making gardening more accessible for everyone. I have plans to involve our special needs students in the construction of the raised beds the Axis Foundation have funded, that the same group will then use to grow vegetables, salads and flowers in. Thanks Axis Foundation for helping us with our work!” – Joe Wensley SEN Young People’s Co-ordinator

More About Organiclea

An important community resource, situated in the 12-acre site of Hawkwood Plant Nursery, Organiclea community food project welcomes people from a wide range of backgrounds, ages and abilities. Organiclea currently works with 16 students with special educational needs and regularly works with around 10-15 others with a physical difficulty or disability. Volunteers here benefit from their accredited training offering and Organiclea also works with schools and colleges – including SEN and PRU – housing estates and care homes on projects to do with food growing and the environment.

 

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Axis patrons hold one million pound cheque.News

Axis Foundation milestone – one million pounds donated

February 21, 2018By

Little charity celebrates donating a whopping one million pounds to small, local and impactful causes

In 2009 we started as a little charity with a big ambition: to give back to the areas that we are from and where we’ve grown, and to make a positive difference to the people and communities in those areas.

Fast forward to 2018 and the Axis Foundation is celebrating having given away one million pounds to over 110 such causes. PLUS we scooped the Corporate Foundation category of the Business Charity Awards!

“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 would be a massive understatement” John Hayes: Trustee, Axis Foundation; CEO, Axis Europe plc 2018

Our Millionth pound!

Our donation in 2018 to South East London charity For Jimmy took our total donations over the one million pounds mark.

“Whilst the value (one million pounds) is nice, we like to think about all the people behind the donations. Those who have been helped and those who have contributed, through fundraising and generous giving. This donation milestone celebration represents all of them.” Peter Varney, Chairman, Axis Foundation

How the Foundation helps

Perhaps money can’t buy happiness, but our one million pounds has bought a lot of smiles, support and relief to those who need it most.

The Foundation has helped hospices and specialist nurses to care for those with life limiting illnesses; contributed to scientific breakthroughs that extend life; provided mobility to those without it; reduced social exclusion; funded adapted minibuses and provided a lot of care, equipment, therapy, outings and experiences.

And that’s just a few of our projects! The number and size of donations has grown each year but we have stayed true to focusing on small, local and impactful charities and causes. We are on an exciting philanthropic journey that is continues to gather momentum each year.

“What is really exciting is that we are growing all the time and giving more to people and organisations in the communities we work in identified by our kind and caring people.” – John Hayes: Trustee, Axis Foundation; CEO, Axis Europe plc. 

Our Foundation fundraiser activities

The funds donated by The Axis Foundation come from an annual corporate donation from Axis Europe plc and funds raised through a charity ball and golf day as well as many fundraising events participated in by the people who work at Axis.

Thanks a Million!

Thank you to everyone who has supported us, worked with us, fundraised or given – indeed, thanks a million.

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Gardening tools at Bright Star Welllbeing to promote good mental healthCommunity

Bright Star Wellbeing

February 12, 2018By

Promoting good mental health and social inclusion

Bright Star Wellbeing is a charity which helps people with mental illness and also raises public awareness of mental health issues.

The volunteers here work with local people who may feel isolated due to disability, race, ethnicity or mental health. By offering recreational therapeutic activities, the charity aims to help them to mix within society and their local community – and so promote good mental health and wellbeing as well as bring about an end to their loneliness and isolation.

The clients at Bright Star Wellbeing had expressed a desire to form a gardening group and so be able to plant flowers in memory of one of their members who had recently died. And so our donation of £1,000 made in 2017 purchased gardening equipment and plants so they could realise their dream.

“We are so thankful to have received this donation as it means that the clients will be able to run their own therapeutic gardening group and honour the memory of their friend. This will assist us greatly in maintaining our groups and enabling us to support assist and empower those in need within the local community – to include all and exclude none” – Christine Pearce, CEO

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