Community

Hands of Hope

January 18, 2023By

Equipping children to learn hands-on about the the natural environment

Through a number of schemes and activities including biodiversity and food growing programmes, Hands of Hope tackles food poverty, rural isolation and loneliness in Rother, Hastings and West Kent.

The charity told the Axis Foundation: “Many children who engage in our activities arrive on site ill-equipped. We are seeking funding to purchase 20 sets of children’s waterproofs as well as 10 children’s bee suits.”

And so, our Trustees were delighted to donate £1,000 to purchase both waterproofs and bee suits.

“As many schools prepare for a new addition to the national curriculum with the launch of Natural History GCSE in 2025, Hands of Hope are already leading the way in climate and sustainability education with a wide range of activities that offer children and young people hands-on, practical learning about the natural world around them so they can have a greater connection with the natural environment and in turn, play their part in making sure future generations can enjoy a cleaner, safer, greener world.

“The donation from the Axis Foundation is fundamental to supporting these activities and ensuring that the children are equipped for an enjoyable, safe, and educational experience” –  Mandy Doran, Trustee

More about Hands of Hope

Supporting local communities throughout Rother, Hastings and West Kent, Hands of Hope creates positive social connections within diverse groups whilst tackling mental health, isolation, and food-related issues. Since 2020 the number of people engaged in activities at Hope Farm Community Garden has increased with over 300 adults and children benefiting from onsite activities during 2022 as well as 1000s engaged via their Get Growing project regionally. Hands of Hope are restoring and developing a neglected walled kitchen garden and 22 acres of AONB land, creating “Hope Farm Community Garden”, a Soil Association Accredited community garden containing 2 large market gardens, a small heritage orchard with Apiary, a Gill Woodland, 7 ponds and 2 large wildflower meadows. In June 2022 the charity was awarded The Queen’s Award for Voluntary Service.

Hands of Hope delivers the following practical projects: Helping Hands Lunch Clubs; Men in Sheds; traditional bricklaying training; Bee in Company biodiversity programme; Growing Buddies community gardening; Living History including  Rural Crafts, environmental heritage, conservation skills and market gardening; and Get Growing delivering fresh, in-season produce to local food banks.

There’s more about their work here 

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disadvantaged

Off the Fence

January 11, 2023By

Saving lives of homeless people

Off The Fence supports homeless, vulnerable and socially excluded people in Brighton and Hove in Sussex.

In 2023 the Axis Foundation donated £7,000 to Off the Fence Trust to purchase 200 Vango Atlas Heavyweight sleeping bags for the rough sleepers who use the services of Antifreeze, the charity’s day centre for the homeless, part of an emergency outreach.

“We are so grateful, as are our clients. Until they are housed, each of our clients uses at least two high quality sleeping bags a year, demand fuelled by wear and tear or theft. £7,000 enables us to purchase 200 military quality sleeping bags that will undoubtedly prevent deaths from exposure, illness and the cold through the Winter months. This is helps us meet a significant proportion of our outdoor budget in this area”  – Roy Stannard, Head of Income-Generation and Comms

We followed this up with a further donation of £4,750 to purchase hygiene materials (including toothpaste, shampoo, razors, shaving foam and cleaning products), hot water bottles (for distribution on the street) and waterproof jackets (for warmth and protection in the cold winter).

“The Axis Foundation is bulwark of compassion in an uncertain world” –  Roy Stannard, Head of Income-Generation and Comms

“Thank you for your compassion and generosity. Lives will be saved” –  Jane Leaver, Office Finance and Individual Giving Co-ordinator

More About Off the Fence

Off The Fence Trust works with vulnerable and socially excluded people in the Brighton and Hove area. Over 700 people use Antifreeze, the charity’s day centre for the homeless. Some users (for example if they own a dog,) have elected to remain rough sleepers. In 2021-22 Antifreeze’s services were used 1,775  times. Whilst many rough sleepers can be accommodated in the City’s hotels and B&Bs, this is only a temporary solution, and the numbers are rising steeply.

Off The Fence Trust tackles social and spiritual poverty, and helps members of the community who are facing crisis situations with little or no support. Their priority is to provide a practical, emotional and psychological safety net through three projects:

  • Antifreeze, a day centre for the homeless – part of an emergency outreach to rough sleepers
  • Schools’ programme for 6-18-year-old children
  • Gateway, a women’s centre supporting women in crisis

There’s more about their work here

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Community

Beyond The Wall 

December 5, 2022By

Our donation increases accessibility in community gardens

Beyond The Wall is a two-acre walled garden in Suffolk for people with additional needs ranging from physical or learning disabilities to mental health conditions or low self-esteem.

The Axis Foundation donated £5,000 to help Beyond the Wall to enable the charity to grow and develop their kitchen garden, providing accessible paths, raised beds and a communal sun shade area.

“The clients and staff at Beyond The Wall are absolutely thrilled to have received a grant from the Axis Foundation. The grant will help us achieve so much in the coming months, which will benefit all of our current clients as well as future proof the garden for future clients. Without this grant, we would not be able to achieve so many of our plans to make the garden more inclusive and accessible for all of our users” – Rozelle Bettesworth, Centre Manager

The raised beds will enable more clients to access the garden independently and with greater ease. The kitchen garden provides Beyond The Wall’s clients with the opportunity to grow fruit and vegetable to cook with, take home and share with families and friends and also sell at markets to generate further funds for the charity.

There’s more about Beyond the Wall here

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disadvantaged

Centred Horseplay

June 13, 2022By

Helping hard to reach youngsters open all year round

With specially-trained horses, Centred Horseplay helps hard-to-reach young people. The Axis Foundation donated £7,091 towards building an indoor arena in a barn. Once built, the new premises will enable Centred Horseplay to stay open all year round. They will then be able to help even more hard-to-reach youngsters: many are experiencing drug and alcohol misuse, anxiety and eating disorders, neglect, abuse, aggression, and bullying.

“Thank you so much! This is going to make such a difference! This vital new facility will allow the charity to stay open all year round. Many of the young people who come to us are suffering from social exclusion and depression. All of this is exasperated in dark and cold winters. Our new arena will be well ventilated but also partially undercover so these very lonely young people can still participate in our courses throughout the winter. Our new location is incredibly peaceful and with your help we will be open all your round” – Marie Longstaff, Fundraiser

More about Centred Horseplay

Centred Horseplay describes itself as ‘often the last resort’. It helps young people referred to them by professional support workers and partners. Crucially these are children who are not progressing within conventional services, who may be ‘stuck’ or disengaged from talk-based support. Their fun and busy ReStart behaviour-change programme transfers successful behavioural training techniques for equines into the human world.

Centred Horseplay was founded in 2015 and is based in Cirencester, Gloucestershire. It is the approved Gloucestershire Hub for world renowned charity TheHorseCourse. Centred Horseplay’s work has helped reduce re-offending and improved attendance and engagement with school/work/training. Multiple external, independent and academic reports testify to the efficacy of this equine-assisted approach.

There’s more about Centred Horseplay here

This donation was made utilising the Travis Perkins Community Fund.

 

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Community

Onward Homes

June 13, 2022By

Supporting Onward Homes’ important learning and leisure site for local community.

The Axis Foundation is donating £3,540 to purchase Bee habitats and planters and other pollinator friendly items.

“We’re really excited to see the difference that this new community space will make to the lives of our residents on North Hill Street. And we are delighted to have the support of the Axis Foundation with this project. Urban green spaces are so important in boosting health and wellbeing. The items donated by Axis will help bring nature nearer to our customers, whilst supporting pollinators in the process” – Sajida Kerbalai-Blackburn, Social Investment Specialist

More about the project

Onward Homes is creating this new community space from derelict space in direct response to resident feedback and research.  And, as well as building a stronger community the new space will help improve mental health and wellbeing, particularly of those who are isolated or lonely. Residents with no outdoor space will be able to enjoy the planted area. And there will also be educational benefits for community groups and local schools. Onward estimates about 1,000 local people will enjoy the new space.

More about Onward Homes and Axis

Onward Homes is a leading provider of 35000+ homes in the North West. The Axis Foundation’s parent company, Axis, is Onward’s Repairs Contractor. The Axis Foundation was therefore delighted to support this application.

There’s more about Onward Homes here

More about Axis’ work with Onward Homes here

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baby with hand Frankie and OliviaCare

Funds For Frankie’s Family

June 13, 2022By

Supporting a young family

The Axis Foundation was delighted to support Frankie’s family when he received bad news about his health and was unable to work. We donated £1,000 to help support their baby, Olivia, who was born in June.

When Frankie and his partner were expecting their first baby, Frankie found out he had Stage 4 Melanoma cancer. He received the news on Christmas Eve 2021. And in January 2022, he underwent an operation to remove lymph nodes and afterwards started his chemotherapy. Frankie is self-employed, an electrician by trade, and is not able to work because of the treatment. His family is on a low income and unable to help him financially.

Sarah Cooper, Senior RLO at Axis, applied for this grant for Frankie: his family are Sarah’s neighbours, and Frankie was in the same class as Sarah’s son, so Sarah feels a close connection and wants to help.

Thanking the Foundation, Sarah Cooper said: “I spoke to Frankie’s Mum on Christmas Eve when she told me his cancer had progressed from Stage 1 to Stage 4. I went home and was really upset. Then I thought, ‘I can help’ – so I applied to the Foundation for some money to help him whilst he was unable to work. I was absolutely overwhelmed to hear that my application had been successful. Vouchers for the new baby will really help this young family. Frankie’s prognosis is good but he will be monitored for the next ten years. All his family, including his grandparents are extremely grateful to the Axis Foundation for their donation.”

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Care

Mindful Peak

March 7, 2022By

Support for young carers

Mindful Peak helps young carers to improve their physical and mental wellbeing through boxing and mindfulness. The charity has recently developed BAM! which fuses non-contact boxing training with mindfulness through one-to-one sessions, video and a specially developed App. They developed BAM! with help from the Paul Hamlyn Foundation and Barnardo’s.

The Axis Foundation donated £1,250 towards film videoing and editing as well as skipping ropes for boxing training.

“I’m delighted that the Axis Foundation saw the value in this project that supports a group of young carers who need this support now more than ever. Thank you and we look forward to delivering this project and sharing the impact” – Luke Doherty, Founder and MD

Helping Young Carers

Young carers face extra responsibilities at home often leaving them feeling lonely or as though no one else understands. They can feel isolated and often miss out-of-school activities or meet-ups with friends. And they often become anxious about the person they care for when they’re away from them. Mindful Peak helps young carers become better able to respond to the specific challenges they face.

More About Mindful Peak

Working in the London Boroughs of Hackney, Tower Hamlets, Waltham Forest and Newham Mindful Peak is a not-for-profit enterprise dedicated to sharing a mindfulness-based approach to performance.

Luke Doherty founded Mindful Peak in 2019. Luke played Rugby for England. He gained a postgraduate degree in Law and Community Leadership and then trained as a mindfulness instructor.

In addition to supporting disadvantaged young people, Mindful Peak teaches mindfulness to elite athletes.They have worked with Saracens and Harlequins rugby clubs, Brentford football club, the GB Skateboarding and British Weightlifting teams among others.

More here

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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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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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Community

St Luke’s Community Hub

September 5, 2021By

Helping vital community hub support those affected by poverty and homelessness

St Luke’s is a community hub based in Kennington in south London. It is managed by the West London Mission (WLM). The centre helps people affected by poverty and homelessness.

Their carpet in the common areas and stairwell here was very old and no longer fit for purpose. So when WLM approached the Axis Foundation for support to get a new one, we were delighted to help.

During the prep to lay the carpet, the floor underneath was found to be crumbling and in need of repair. And so the Axis Foundation’s donation of £2,243 repaired the floor and supplied and installed a new carpet for the benefit of service users and everyone who works at WLM St Luke’s.

“The folks at St Luke’s are absolutely thrilled beyond words to have a new carpet in the common area and stairwell.

“They are hugely grateful as no budget exists right now for such things. We badly needed it as it is a public space. It is now clean and welcoming, worthy of the staff and the service users – vulnerable folk in the local community.

“Hats off to Axis and the Axis Foundation. You and your team have made a huge difference” – Patrick O’Meara, Advisor to WLM

More about West London Mission and St Luke’s

WLM has been helping people facing poverty and homelessness since 1887. The link between homelessness and financial insecurity is as clear today as it was in the 19th century. People whose rent is in arrears are vulnerable to eviction and subsequent homelessness.

So, WLM St Luke’s aims to prevent homelessness by empowering people faced with financial and digital exclusion, low income and high levels of debt to feel confident, more in control of their finances and less isolated.

As they say: “Our focus is financial resilience and digital inclusion. We want our community to feel confident about managing their money and to gain the skills to get online.”

Enjoying thriving partnerships with local organisations and networks, St Luke’s offers computer and money management training as well as affordable desk space for local start-ups and affordable accommodation for low income workers.

There’s more about WLM St Luke’s here.

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