Three little children planting lettucesDonations

The Visionaries 

January 31, 2024By

Creating hands-on outdoor learning space for children

The Visionaries help children, young people and educators to connect with nature. Whilst open to all, they focus on supporting young and marginalised people and those facing challenging transitions. The social enterprise is based at School 360 in Stratford, east London, near to Axis’ head office.

The Axis Foundation agreed to donate £9,500 towards buying raised beds and 50 fruit trees to help with the rewilding of School 360’s outdoor space. The overall scheme will serve as a hands-on, learning space fostering environmental consciousness and creating stronger connections to nature.

“Thank you so much. This will make a huge difference to the project. We are re-imagining the school’s grounds, to enhance the school community’s nature connectedness. This funding will contribute towards the rewilding of the school’s outdoor spaces, creating a dynamic environment that brings people together, improves community well-being, and supports the potential of the students”  – Max Girardeau, Director

More about The Visionaries Education CIC

The Visionaries is a not-for-profit social enterprise. They partner with schools, universities and other educational institutions to produce transformative nature-based programmes and adapt their learning environments to be more ‘nature connected’.  Through participating in their programmes, youths and adults report discovering a greater sense of purpose and belonging, feeling more hopeful and more equipped to create the future we know we need to live sustainably on the planet.

More here

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a mother and father with babydisadvantaged

Little Stars

January 31, 2024By

Providing essential baby items for disadvantaged, vulnerable families

Little Stars provides quality essentials for babies, children and pregnant women. And so they alleviate stress and financial pressures for disadvantaged, vulnerable families in Shropshire.

The Axis Foundation donated £3,175 to Little Stars’ Community Hubs Project. This donation will purchase 12 months supplies of nappies, wipes and baby toiletries.

“To receive this amazing amount of money from Axis foundation has ensured we can continue our Community Hub work, providing families with the essentials they need for their children.

“Our hub work is extremely important because we are out in the communities that are in need of this support. The money will enable us to expand our hubs as we now have the funds to be able to deliver the basic essentials that babies and young children really need. Thank you to the board for providing us with this grant” – Leanne Simcoe Founder and CEO

Update from Little Stars 2025

On behalf of Little Stars, we would like to thank you for the grant you awarded us in 2024. Your grant enabled us to respond to the growing impact of hygiene and period poverty by providing 1,378 children and adults essential toiletries including nappies and wipes.

This was a significant increase compared to the previous year where we helped 587 children and adults with these items.

Without this grant, our capacity to support the increasing number of children and families relying on our services would have been severely restricted. Thank you, from all the team at Little Stars” – Leanne Simcoe Founder and CEO

More on the Community Hubs Project

Little Stars created their Community Hubs Project in response to the growing demand for their services. There are currently four Little Stars community hubs, working with Early Help teams and local food banks, where families can access essential items

More about Little Stars

Little Stars helps the 26% of children living in poverty across Shropshire (research from End Child Poverty). They help disadvantaged families through their baby bank, community hubs and school uniform services. They provide quality pre-loved bundles, donated by the local community, supplemented by new equipment and basic provisions. Little Stars works across their community in partnership with midwives, social workers, early help teams, schools, food banks, and domestic abuse charities. They have, to date, supported over 1,000 referred beneficiaries.

There’s more here www.littlestarscharity.org

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Woman reading to two infants from a bookCare

Hug-a-Bug World (HBW)

January 31, 2024By

Positive emotional wellbeing for young people

Positive, relatable storylines in books; “I am Unique, “I am Brave” and “I Can Do It” affirmation hearts and tactile toys: these all help the emotional development of Hug-a-Bug World’s Early Years and young children. Setting the tone are adorable bugs Sedric Snail, Bella Bee and friends who support one another and learn as they go.

The Axis Foundation donated £15,000 to HBW to provide books, affirmation hearts and toys. And we will be working with them to reach children and families in areas where Axis, our parent property services company, works.

“At a time where Mental Health challenges in our younger generations is finally getting some attention in the media, we at HBW are forever grateful to the Axis Foundation for making it possible for us to engage with thousands of children, through their generous donation” – Julia Keys, Founder

More about Hug-a-Bug World

The HBW programme promotes positive emotional wellbeing for young people. This is proven to have a beneficial effect on academic focus, building good relationships, and development of empathy and understanding of each other and the natural world.

Hug-a-Bug World is currently working with 30 schools in the Royal Borough of Greenwich in London. They have also worked closely with the Holiday Activity Fund (HAF) programme in multiple UK locations. All children (10,000 +) take home a storybook, a Hug-a-Bug heart and activity sheets. They demonstrably increase their self-confidence, empathy, self-worth, resilience, and acceptance of themselves.

The Chairman of the Axis Foundation Trustees, Peter Varney, was very impressed by the good feedback from Birmingham HAF. So he engaged Hug-a-Bug World to deliver their HAF programme via Millwalls’ Community Fund – with similarly successful results.

See more about Hug-a-Bug’s amazing work here

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Group of people holding bags at St AmbroseCommunity

St Ambrose Barlow Church

January 30, 2024By

Providing warmth and comfort

The Café at St Ambrose Barlow Church provides a safe and warm space for local people. Here they can enjoy complimentary meals and refreshment, a sense of community and belonging, as well as crafts and activities.

The Axis Foundation donated £1,000 so that Saint Ambrose Barlow Church could purchase 60 Warm Packs to keep their guests keep warm this winter (2023).

“The grant from the Axis Foundation has allowed us to provide 60 warm packs in the space of two weeks to all in our community who asked for one. From young families, to people who lived on their own and the elderly, everyone went home thrilled with their bag of goodies – a cosy warm blanket, a hot water bottle, a travel cup, a hat, scarf and gloves so they would be warm in and outside of the home!” – Hayley Haughton, Community Engagement and Support Worker

“I was thrilled to get my warm pack, I am going to use the hot water bottle and travel cup together so i only boil the kettle once to save money and energy and then snuggle down in my blanket with my knitting!” – Recipient

More about the café at St Ambrose Barlow Church

The community café at St Ambrose Barlow Church is a lifeline for some people who have fallen through the cracks of the social welfare system; are struggling with the cost of living crisis or who are seeking a safe space to meet others and combat isolation. Located in the Parish Hall, the Community Café aims to reduce the impact of poverty and to help their guests maximise their income. They provide complimentary meals, activities and signposting for additional support to over 50 people a week and also recently distributed warm packs to 30 families.

There’s more here

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Donations

Adult Training Network

January 29, 2024By

Resourcing Digital Learning for disadvantaged people

Adult Training Network (ATN) provides education, training and employability skills to disadvantaged people.

The Axis Foundation donated £2,500 so ATN could purchase an interactive whiteboard to facilitate digital learning at their Training Centre in Southall, west London.

“The integration of the smart board in the classroom was very impressive. Not only did the use of this interactive technology keep the students engaged but … learners were evidently more focussed, thanks to the visually appealing content that was presented to them in an engaging way.

“It has changed the traditional lesson and made it more participatory and fun.

“Overall, the interactive white board been very useful, both for tutors and students, who have been very excited about the new method of learning. This innovative approach to teaching has set a high standard for interactive pedagogy” – Sarjeet Singh Gill, Managing Director (from Impact Report provided to the Trustees of the Axis Foundation)

More about ATN

Adult Training Network Limited was founded in 1999 to help the most disadvantaged members of the community access mainstream education. Many are referred to the charity by their local Job Centre.

The charity unlocks marginalised learners’ potential for employment and social connection through education, training, employability support and links to job opportunities. They offer a wide range of in-person and online accredited courses as well as vocational qualifications and apprenticeships.

ATN’s BAME, migrant and refugee learners (many of whom have South-Asian backgrounds and/or are from Syria or Ukraine) hail from highly deprived wards and have low English, literacy and numeracy levels.

There’s more here

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Man wearing hat and glasses holding a Victoria sponge cakedisadvantaged

Cherry Orchard Garden Services (COGS)

January 19, 2024By

COGS’ Grow-Cook-Eat project helps adults with learning disabilities gain skills and independence

The Axis Foundation donated £1,000 to help COGS purchase ingredients for their Grow-Cook-Eat project. The programme teaches learners how to cook simple, easy meals that they can replicate at home. They can use fruit and vegetables they have grown on-site at COGS. These make a healthy alternative to microwaved ready meals. Learning how to cook and eat healthily brings many long-term benefits to learners – and their carers and families too. We estimate that around 17 people on this programme will benefit directly from our donation.

“We are so grateful to The Axis Foundation for generously donating towards our Grow-Cook-Eat project. Cooking is one of the most valuable skills our service users can learn. By helping us purchase additional ingredients to enhance their home-grown fruit and vegetables, the Axis Foundation is contributing to many life-changing outcomes. It enables our service users to learn a whole spectrum of skills which all contribute to them living an independent lifestyle as they grow themselves. Thank you!” –  Beckie Flynn, Treasurer

Two service tell us how Grow-Cook-Eat project benefits them!

“It helps me because I can now make my own sandwiches, go into a shop and recognise ingredients and have new ideas to try to do myself at home’”- Tom

“It has helped by teaching me new things to cook. It teaches me to cook on my own and grow some vegetables I can make into meals” – George

More about COGS

COGS Prepares 4 Life CIO provides day opportunities for adults with learning disabilities, autism and other complex needs in Burntwood, Staffordshire, and surrounding areas. Through gardening, cooking, woodwork, travel training and basic education, COGS’ members gain new skills, find friendships and embrace the confidence and independence needed for everyday life. There’s more about COGS here

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disadvantaged

Strength & Learning Through Horses

December 20, 2023By

Helping children in crisis to a positive future

Strength & Learning Through Horses helps young people in mental health crisis turn their lives around.

The Axis Foundation awarded Strength & Learning Through Horses a grant of £12,000 to purchase a modular building to help them continue their services – whatever the weather.

“We are very grateful for your recent incredibly generous donation of £12,000 … Thanks to your donation, we will be able to purchase a modular building in which to teach our therapy sessions. These sessions help young people in mental health crisis to begin to turn their lives around and move towards a positive future. Thanks to your support we will be able to help more of these young people access our life-changing service” – Dr Hockley and Rosie Bensley, Founders and Joint CEOs

More about Strength & Learning Through Horses

Strength & Learning Through Horses is London’s largest equine-assisted therapy and education charity currently supporting 400-450 young people in crisis per year. Many children have experienced significant trauma and neglect and are either excluded from mainstream education or considered at risk of exclusion.

The charity uses the natural ability of horses to read and respond to human emotions to engage young people in the process of learning about their own behaviours and emotions.

More here

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disadvantaged

The Children’s Book Project

December 19, 2023By

Giving the gift of books to disadvantaged children

The Children’s Book Project collects new and gently-used books and redistributes them free to children and young people growing up in poverty.

The Axis Foundation’s donation in 2023 of £3,500 funded ten Pop up Book Huts in London schools – from where the children can choose their free books.

‘We would like to express our enormous gratitude to the Axis Foundation for its generosity. As a small, grassroots charity, we are entirely reliant on fundraising. This donation will have a big impact on the Children’s Book Project, helping us put books straight into the hands of the children that need them most” – Liberty Venn, Founder

The instantly-recognisable, bright green, painted huts have been used as a gifting mechanic for circa 24,000 books pa in rotation across 30 schools and are hugely popular with both pupils and teachers.

The story continues

In 2025, the Trustees of the Axis Foundation approved a further award of £4,000 to install 20 new book donation stations around London, facilitating the collection of books for onward gifting to schools. It is estimated that the new permanent book donation points, housed in high visibility sites across the capital such as corporate offices and shops, will each collect thousands of books annually, supporting tens of schools and many thousands of children to experience book ownership.

“Wow! Thank you so much! This is incredible news, we are absolutely thrilled to have your support again. This funding will make a real difference to our charity” – Kate Morgan-Evans, Grants & Engagement Manager

And there’s even more…

Axis volunteers Alfie Shortall, Phil Cornell and Arjinder Bhogal collected and delivered the book huts to local schools. And their colleagues Jake Thomas, Jasveen Grewal, Thomas Crane, Steve Harpley and Daniel Brownett sorted books at the charity’s warehouse in Westminster.

And the Axis Midlands team is currently hosting a book drive for The Children’s Book Project to support communities that present a high level of socioeconomic disadvantage and/or emotional need.

More about The Children’s Book Project

The Children’s Book Project charity sees first-hand how giving children access to books makes amazing things happen; vocabularies expand, empathy grows, imaginations are ignited and children learn.

‘’Receiving these books is changing the reading culture of our school in a positive way…The Book Project through their generosity has enabled us to provide books to children who had none at home’’ – Teacher, Southern Road Primary, E13

You can read more about the incredible work of The Children’s Book Project here

 

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young people and yellow vandisadvantaged

GASP Motor Project

July 21, 2023By

Helping train disadvantaged youngsters in motor mechanics

GASP Motor Project provides hands-on practical training in motor mechanics for disadvantaged youngsters – many may be excluded from education or face multiple challenges at home.

The Axis Foundation donated £10,000 to help GASP buy a van/mobile workshop, which enables them take their courses out to schools and youth organisations across Surrey.

“Thank you so much for this fantastic news.  We are so very excited about getting our new van. This will enable to help even more youngsters benefit from our training with GASP. They secure accredited AQA qualifications with us which they can use as evidence of commitment, hard work and an interest in motor mechanics. Many move on to local colleges, inspired by learning with us, knowing they can move forwards with their lives in a new direction and with a positive outlook. Thank you so much to everyone at the Axis Foundation”  –  Moyra Matravers, Fundraising and Business Development Manager

Case Study kindly provided by GASP
OG’s story

Having been excluded from mainstream school, OG was attending a Pupil Referral Unit. He had been involved with the police and felt rejected when he joined GASP, having a negative attitude and sense of failure. He said: “School doesn’t want me, I really like it here. They pushed me off to different places each week, but GASP is really good. I have learnt loads here. I really like making the metal toolbox.” Since joining GASP, OG has achieved a staggering seven AQAs.

More about GASP

GASP Motor Project provides hands-on practical training in motor mechanics for youngsters who are disadvantaged in multiple ways: referrals from the youth criminal justice system and school refusers or those who have been excluded from mainstream education as well as refugees, young carers, children living in the care system and many youngsters with special educational needs or living in challenging home circumstances. GASP is widely recognised in Surrey as a provider of non-judgmental, caring and practical support.

More here

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Community

Rebuilding Lives

May 11, 2023By

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.”

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