Helping partially-sighted Charlton fans enjoy the action!
The Axis Foundation recently donated £3,500 to the Charlton Athletic Supporters Trust to enable partially-sighted supporters to receive live commentaries at The Valley and thus fully immerse themselves in the action on the pitch.
The donation will help towards replacing old equipment so that partially-sighted fans can pick up a headset and receiver from reception and – from anywhere in the stadium – listen to the animated commentary by Rob Shaw (who pioneered the ground-breaking idea over 20 years ago), Harry Low, Jamie Whitehead and Dave Lockwood. They can capture and share the excitement of every moment!
The Axis Foundation has supported Charlton Athletic for many years now, most recently sponsoring Charlton Athletic Community Trust (CACT)’s 30th Anniversary Golf Day which raised over £13,000 to help support their work raising educational achievement, creating pathways to employment, building healthier lifestyles, bringing communities together and reducing crime.
Charlton close to our hearts
Indeed, Charlton is close to our hearts here at the Axis Foundation. The Chairman of our Trustees, Peter Varney, joined CAFC as managing director in 1997 – a dream job for Peter, who is, like his father, from boyhood, a proud supporter of the Addicks. Peter was promoted to the position of Charlton’s Chief Executive a year later. And Alan Curbishley, who famously managed Charlton 1991 to 2006, became patron of the Axis Foundation in 2014.
Our winning team of Alan and Peter saw the club through many successful years. And together they work tirelessly as volunteers for our Foundation whose primary aim is to support small, local and impactful causes. We are grateful to them both.
The Axis Foundation is very proud of our partnership with Charlton – and fans will be familiar with our branding at the Valley. In fact it is hard to miss!
Our photo shows our CEO and Axis Foundation Trustee John Hayes at the Valley.
Our annual celebrity charity golf day raises funds for our charity partner Demelza as well as many small, local and impactful causes which the Axis Foundation supports.
Axis Foundation patron, sports pundit and former football manager Alan Curbishley, kindly lent his name to this event: the Alan Curbishley Classic Charity Golf Day. Launched in 2017 at the prestigious London Golf Club, one of the country’s finest golf venues, the day has become a favourite fixture for our generous guests and supporters.
2023
At our fifth annual golf day, our generous guests raised £26,000. In addition to Axis Foundation Patron Alan Curbishley, celebrities who attended included tv presenter Bradley Walsh, footballers Teddy Sheringham, Scott Minto and Dave Beasant, and many more from the world of sport and entertainment.
Rounding off the 2023 golf day, the Axis Foundation presented a cheque for £138,545 to Demelza.
Our fourth annual golf day was a great cause for celebration. Our Foundation marked donating £2m to 270 small, local and impactful causes in 13 years of giving. On the day, we presented Len Goodman, TV presenter, former Strictly Come Dancing judge and Demelza’s VP, accepted our cheque for £89,000.He said: ‘The Axis Foundation is a fantastic charity. You get Ten from Len!’
It its third year, 2019, the Axis Foundation Charity Golf Day raised £34,300. Our host for the day was our patron Alan Curbishley. Amongst the list of other famous attendees were stars from the sporting world, including former footballers Gus Poyet and Tim Sherwood.
On the day, we presented a cheque of £94,500 to Demelza.
The Axis Foundation had plenty to celebrate in 2019; hitting the milestone of a decade of donations to small, impactful and local causes.
Thank you to everybody who attended and sponsored this year’s event: DM Jones, DMD, Excel, FFT, Gertsky Management, Howells, Martin Arnold, Russell Trew Ltd, Symphony, Your Image, Crystal Electronics Limited, Bauer Asbestos, Proactive Fire Solutions Ltd, PGM maintenance Ltd, DMD Group, Potter Raper, TW Drainage, Carringtons, Bulgaro.
2018
The 2018 Charity Golf Day raised £26,000. Celebrity attendees included famous footballers Chelsea legend Gianfranco Zola and England’s hero Sir Trevor Brooking. On this occasion, we presented Demelza with a cheque for £70,000.
In 2017, The Axis Foundation held its inaugural Charity Golf Day, raising over £18,000 for Demelza and Sparks Medical Research. Attendees included our patron Alan Curbishley and ex England manager Roy Hodgson, amongst other familiar sporting faces. In 2017, we presented a cheque of £53,724 to Demelza.
The fundraiser’s success created an appetite for the Charity Golf Day to become an annual occasion….
Our charity partner Demelza is celebrating 25 years of delivering care that doesn’t back down.
We talk to CEO Lavinia Jarrett – “Vin” to her colleagues and friends and family – as the birthday celebrations commence…
Hi Vin. How long have you been at Demelza now?
I have been at Demelza for 23 years – almost from the beginning. Time has flown by. Sometimes it seems like five years. I arrived at Demelza in 1999, just after the Kent hospice opened. I live locally to Demelza – so I watched it being built on what was muddy, clay-based 6.5-acre field. It was hard digging ! Since then, I have worked in practically every role in the organisation. Most recently, I was Deputy Chief Executive to Ryan Campbell. When Ryan moved on in 2021, I became Acting Chief Executive and was officially appointed as CEO in February 2022.
It is a real privilege working here, and it doesn’t feel like a job, a sentiment that is shared and echoed by so many of the staff and volunteers that have been with us for years too. We have a fantastic history and the important relationships with our partners, including Axis and the Axis Foundation, form part of this.
Where were you working before you came to Demelza?
I worked in primary care, developing local outreach services and commissioning services from NHS Trusts and providers. I have also worked in heavy manufacturing and estate agency.
What changes have you seen since you arrived at Demelza?
Demelza has metamorphosised over the years. The greatest changes I have seen are in the complexity of needs, and in the numbers of babies, children, young people and their families needing our support.
Life expectancy has grown. Not that long ago, the life expectancy of someone with, for example, Duchenne muscular dystrophy was 14 to 15 years. Now someone with Duchenne can live to 32. That’s why there are now approximately 90,00 young people across the UK who need support from their local children’s hospice. Young babies with complex needs can often now can have longer lives too. We have expanded and adapted our services to meet this need.
The complexity is off the scale. For example, 25 years ago, we were just learning about ventilation for a young person or a child but now it is completely normal for us to provide this, and we are now able to support any complicated clinical needs. We are a nurse-led service and our nursing and clinical skills have grown and continue to grow and develop.
Our changes are driven by what our families are telling us; providing a choice of services and where these services are received is now available as a direct result of this feedback. For example, families can now request music therapy online or in their home; or they might want to come to us, get peer support here and some respite. Or a mix. Our care is personalised to every need.
So, it’s Demelza’s 25th birthday this year. Congratulations on your quarter century!
Thank you! We are having a whole year of celebrations. Our actual birthday is September with Demelza Kent first opening its doors in September 1998. Our birthday events include open days here at the hospice and a fundraiser ball at the De Vere hotel, amongst others. We are also holding celebration get-togethers with Demelza staff and volunteers too.
Can you talk us through your new look for Demelza – what was the thinking behind the change in branding?
Changing our branding is our long-term strategy, with the rebrand agreed in principle back in 2019. We had looked at it and felt it was not only starting to feel tired, but that it could better convey the expert care and services that we provide. Unfortunately, these plans had to be postponed due to COVID. Emerging from this with our 25th birthday approaching, we felt the time was right to rebrand and relaunch, modernising Demelza and shaping our image to be more accessible and far-reaching.
Our research organisation conducted a stakeholder survey last year and found that the word ‘hospice’ can be off-putting, mainly associated with death and dying, and detracts from the incredible range of services we provide, that are not associated with end of life care. There’s a lot to be done, support to be had and given, memories to be made. We want people to see it as a vibrant time, and Demelza is a fun and vibrant place!
Our namesake, Demelza, was a beautiful young woman who was passionate about hospice care for children, and we wanted to pay greater homage to our origins by including her in our logo and bringing her to life.
We also wanted something that represented our persona more closely, adopting a softer tone of voice, and a narrative really explaining what children’s hospices actually do and myth-busting to move the focus away from just end of life care.
One of the main changes was moving away from the colour red: it is the sign of danger. It also typically represents sales in shops; with a large high street presence, this is not reflective of the high-quality stock that we sell! Our retail outlets are often the first time many are introduced to Demelza and our new branding makes us more recognisable and identifies more clearly what we as a charity do. The blues and new colour palette are softer and offer more flexibility, and we softened the name, and type, with a lower case “d”. Moving away from the red clown, we now have a more representative brand featuring a cartoon Demelza in our logo and with her friends, they will help tell our story.
Talk to us about our very long friendship: between Demelza, the Axis Foundation and Axis?
We are so grateful. I can’t tell you. You have been on a such journey with us. Without your support, very few of the things I have mentioned would have been possible. You have empathy. You have raised our profile with a ripple effect, through talking to communities. We are incredibly grateful. I genuinely mean it, I really, really do. You are part of our team.
What you think and feel is really important to us at Demelza. We can come to you with ideas, and you help us develop them. And you come to us with ideas for us too.
We cannot do it with you. We want the next 25 years to be bigger and better for us all.
Creating safe place for young people to talk in confidence
Youth Talk offers free, confidential counselling that improves the quality of life of children and young people in St Albans, Hertfordshire.
And our award of £10,000 to Youth Talk will help them fit out new, larger premises to create a more productive, safe and pleasant space for young people to talk in confidence. By creating eight counselling suites, the charity will double their current capacity: part of their five-year strategy is to double the number of 1:1 sessions they offer by 2026. It will also give the charity office and meeting spaces for the first time in its 25-year history.
“Wow – what totally wonderful news. A HUGE thank you on behalf of everyone at the charity and more importantly thank you on behalf of the young people you will be supporting. Our new home is a critical part of our new five-year strategy for growth and we could not have done it without the tremendous support of the Axis Foundation” – David Barker, Chief Executive, Youth Talk
More About Youth Talk
Youth Talk is a registered charity and a Hertfordshire County Council approved provider of counselling psychotherapy. They offer free, confidential counselling that improves the quality of life of children and young people aged 13-25 in St Albans, Hertfordshire.
When young people seek support from Youth Talk, the most frequently reported symptoms include depression, anxiety and stress. Early support helps prevent mental health problems from worsening and enables young people to succeed at school and earn a living so they can support themselves and their families.
The charity believes that every young person should have a safe place to talk in confidence and get early support for their mental health needs, so they can move on with their lives and pursue their dreams.
Axis employee applies to helps family rebuild their life after tragedy
Axis Resident Liaison Officer Sandra Chipato applied to the Axis Foundation on behalf of a family who lost their son/brother in a house fire in March 2023.
The family also lost all their belongings. So, Sandra asked the family what they needed most – a mattress, a bed and a tv – and asked the Foundation to help them. So the Trustees of the Foundation arranged to purchase these goods and deliver them to the family in their new home provided by their local council.
Thanking the Foundation Sandra said: “I was neighbours with this family for six years: our children were friends. It was heart-breaking to hear what had happened to them. I felt so helpless as I was not able to help.
However, I remembered our Axis Foundation! So I reached out to the Foundation team who were very supportive and helpful: they advised me to fill out the form and they would pick it up from there. I was so glad when I received the call that the application had been approved and that we can help the family. I called the father to tell him the good news. He broke down in tears, that’s how much this meant to him.
“I am so proud to work for an organisation that not only build people’s homes, but they transform lives.”
The father said: “I just want to thank the Axis Foundation for the help they have given to me and my family: the past few months have been really challenging. We are trying to rebuild our lives as well as mourn the loss of our oldest child. My wife is still in hospital, so I have not been able to work. And because I am self employed if I do not work, I don’t get paid. When Sandra first told me that there is a chance your company could help, I was hopeful but at the same time was prepared for the worst.
“I had been sleeping on the floor with my daughter for weeks and it was a relief when I heard the application was approved and we could get some help.
“Thank you so much for your help and reminding us that all is not lost. Yes, we lost all our belongings and our son but your generosity has given hope and the strength to carry on. Words cannot express how grateful we are.”
Richmond Furniture Scheme supplies newly-housed refugees and disadvantaged people with essential items.
The Axis Foundation donated £5,625 towards Richmond Furniture Scheme’s Kitchen Starter Kit Programme which provides vital basic items so that families can cook and eat (often accommodation comes unfurnished). As Richmond has been declared a ‘Sanctuary’ for refugees, with an additional influx of refugees from Afghanistan and Ukraine, the need to help these families start their new lives is even greater.
“This fabulous donation will help disadvantaged people from all sorts of backgrounds including the homeless, people with mental ill health, refugees, people affected by domestic breakdown and violence. This is practical help that goes straight to people who need it. Thank you ’’ – CEO Simon Westgarth
The 35-piece set our donation provides contains kitchen essentials for a family of two, plus a toaster, kettle, and iron and (sometimes) a microwave which greatly helps them keep energy costs down.
More about Richmond Furniture Scheme
Richmond Furniture Scheme is based in Twickenham and serves both London Boroughs of Richmond Upon Thames and Wandsworth. In the year 2021 to 2022 they helped 329 local households in need; supported 55 volunteers who worked within the scheme; cleaned, refurbished and recycled 94 tonnes of furniture which was then delivered to those in need and the local community.
They work closely with the local authorities, local charities, churches and schools who are also their main sources of referrals and of information concerning what is needed and what services are required in the disadvantaged segment of the community.
Axis’ Jocelyn Tritton, a Trainee Quantity Surveyor working on our Croydon contract, supports The Dorset Deaf Children’s Society (DDCS) – and applied to the Foundation on their behalf.
The Axis Foundation’s grant of £3274.50 made to DDCS on behalf of Jocelyn will buy 150 Phonak Junior paediatric hearing aid care kits. The kits will help deaf children in Dorset for years to come by teaching and enabling them to maintain their hearing aids.
Jocelyn is passionate about helping the hearing-impaired lead a normal life. This is because Jocelyn’s mum is profoundly deaf, which stems from a horse-riding accident at a young age. Jocelyn’s family started learning British Sign Language last year to better include his mum in family life. He was overjoyed by how much communication improved; and this inspired him to help other families with deaf members to learn BSL too.
Thanking the Foundation Jocelyn said: “Growing up it was always a struggle to communicate with mum, who has 30% hearing in her left ear and near zero in her right, but I couldn’t see how things would ever change. Then the family discovered BSL and, all of a sudden, we could hold normal conversations! I wanted to help out other families with hearing-impaired members and raising funds for the small yet impactful DDCS by running a marathon seemed perfect. Overall, I’m delighted the Axis Foundation agreed to donate over £3000 to purchase hearing aid care kits!”
Jocelyn additionally ran the Milton Keynes Marathon raising £6222 for DDCS!
“We cannot thank Jocelyn enough for the work and effort he is putting in to raise money for our deaf children. We are a small local charity run by volunteers and without the support of people like Jocelyn we could not continue to support the deaf children and their families, providing them with somewhere to go to meet and make friends with children just like themselves. The money Jocelyn is raising is so important for us and we are very grateful’ – Shirley Sorbie, DCSS
More about DDCS
DDCS is an all-volunteer charity which helps children with mild to profound deafness by providing them with hearing equipment and BSL grants. DDCS events connect deaf families, including them in a community which understands their struggles, and serves as an important point of contact where families with deaf children can receive advice, as well as talk to and support each other. There’s more here
Bolton Deaf Society provides an accessible information and advocacy service for deaf and deafened people primarily in Bolton and surrounding areas.
The Axis Foundation has donated £3,500 to Bolton Deaf Society to help protect deaf and deafened people from scams. This project which will benefit deaf people and professionals working with deaf people across the UK, will include training dedicated Scambassadors and the production of e-materials and webinars.
“Our Deaf-inclusive scams awareness work ensures that deaf people in all their diversity are equipped with the knowledge and skills needed to protect themselves from scams. We are super grateful for the Axis Foundation’s support – John Hesketh CEO
More about Bolton Deaf Society
A full range of services includes translating documentation to BSL, completing forms, making telephone calls and appointments, booking Interpreters, preparing benefit appeals, pursuing help with legal costs, and providing support for training and employment. The society additionally supports social groups including Darby and Joan and a choir and delivers Deaf/Interpreter Awareness and BSL training to public sector service providers, and Deaf Inclusive Employment courses to employers.
Our donation brings enjoyment of sailing to people with disability
Sailability at Newhaven and Seaford Sailing Club Ltd gives all local people with a disability across East Sussex the opportunity to sail, to gain confidence on the water and develop new skills, so improving mental and physical health and wellbeing. They offer accessibility to sailing and boating for those with a disability and 20% of their participants are wheelchair users
The Axis Foundation’s donation of £9,800 means Sailability can purchase a new specially-designed Hansa dinghy so a sailor can take those with a disability out on the water.
“A new dinghy will help us offer a better experience to participants, to grow as a group, meet the increasing demand for sailing and thus offer more participants with disabilities the opportunity to experience sailing and its many benefits” – Chris Turner, Sailability Lead
More about Sailability
Sailability (a Royal Yachting Association (RYA) initiative) was founded at Newhaven and Seaford in 2021 and last year helped 32 participants over 124 sessions enjoy the benefits of sailing. This number is growing. They operate within Newhaven and Seaford Sailing Club Ltd (not for profit), a registered Sailability Centre, as part of their RYA Training Centre. Their boats are in full use for much of the year, sailing on an inland lake at Piddinghoe East Sussex.
There’s more here
Helping MS sufferer write her book supporting other sufferers and their carers
Elma Gredelj, Axis Resident Liaison Officer, helped Anna, an MS sufferer, by applying to the Axis Foundation. As a result of Elma’s application, the Axis Foundation donated £300 and purchased a laptop for Anna so she can complete a book about her experiences of MS to help other sufferers and their carers too.
More about Elma’s application
Whilst conducting cyclical works on behalf of our client, Elma met Notting Hill Genesis resident, Anna. Anna wants to write a book to support others who suffer from MS. But as she was unable to access a laptop, Anna was writing it out by hand.
Elma tells the story of their friendship here:
“I met Anna whilst conducting window surveys for the Notting Hill Genesis contract. Once I got speaking with Anna it felt like we knew each other for years. I was very moved by her life story. She shared her positive and negative experiences of being a young lady with MS. She had so many goals that she wanted to accomplish but was very limited due to not having the facilities to do so. One of her main dreams was to write a book to raise awareness for MS. By having limited facilities to do this she has struggled to progress further in this.
“I felt like I couldn’t walk away from that property without trying to help this young lady and reward her for the confidence and strength she has shown to open up to me and share her heart-breaking experiences.
“I contacted the Axis Foundation and applied for a laptop for Anna to help her with her dream of writing a book. This was accepted and I felt so happy for her because I knew how much this would mean to her. I delivered the Laptop to Anna, and she was speechless and felt like ‘her dreams came true’.
“I want to advise anyone working with residents if you find that you can go that extra mile to help someone then please do apply through the Axis Foundation; the sense of reward it made me feel to help someone achieve their lifetime dream especially for such an important topic to raise awareness and knowing this will have an impact for many individuals, it was well worth it !
I wish Anna all the best: and want her to keep her head held high. She’s an inspiration.”
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