A MAJOR grant-giving organisation has held a special event to celebrate 30 years of empowering communities and transforming lives across Warwickshire and the the West Midlands.
Heart of England Community Foundation has held a 30th anniversary celebration at St Mary’s Guildhall in Coventry, to reflect on three decades of grant-giving.
The event welcomed stakeholders, donors and corporate partners to hear about some of the achievements of the Foundation throughout its history.
Guests heard from the Foundation’s Chair Chris West and Chief Executive Tina Costello OBE.
They were also treated to performances from Coventry band The Notables, which provides opportunities for people with learning disabilities and special needs to acquire music skills, and Birmingham-based writer and spoken word artist Ryan Sinclair.
Heart of England Community Foundation was launched in 1995 to support communities across Coventry and Warwickshire and has since expanded to deliver grants across the West Midlands and Warwickshire.
In its first five years of operation, the Foundation awarded around £213,000 to local organisations – and it has now awarded more than £49million in the form of around 14,000 grants.
The Foundation delivered the largest grants programme in its history in 2023-24, the Inclusive Communities Fund – a Commonwealth Games legacy fund which resulted in its busiest year to date.
Throughout 2023-24, the Foundation managed over 67 funds and programmes on behalf of private donors, businesses and local authorities and awarded more than £5million in grants.
Around 400,000 people are expected to have benefited because of the Foundation’s funding during that time.
Tina Costello OBE said: “It’s incredible to see the Foundation reach such a significant milestone.
“We could not have achieved this without the generosity of our donors and the incredible team at the Foundation, all of which are hugely passionate about the voluntary and community sector and believe in the power of local giving.
“The Foundation’s mission is to change lives locally, and to create a fairer, happier and healthier region for everyone, and we have spent the last 30 years trying to do just that.
“The money we have distributed has helped countless grassroots charities and organisations, and has made a positive difference to the lives of millions of people right across the West Midlands and Warwickshire.
“We’re extremely ambitious and want to continue our work impacting communities across our area, so here’s to the next 30 years and beyond.”
The Notables were invited to perform as one of the long-term beneficiaries of Heart of England Community Foundation. The group, whose mission is to break down boundaries to participation, challenge common misconceptions and support positive community integration and cultural diversity, first received support in 2002 with a £600 grant.
The group has since received funding in seven different years, with their latest grant being £29,485 from the Inclusive Communities Fund to host two community events celebrating social inclusion and neurodiversity.
Dave Claridge, Musical Director for The Notables, said: “We’re extremely grateful for everything the Foundation has done for us over the years and we would like to say a heartfelt thank you for all of their support.
“The money we have received has enabled us to increase our outreach work and connect with even more marginalised members of the community, not only in Coventry but right across the West Midlands and beyond.
“We have been able to connect with young people by visiting more schools and day centres, with some of our talented musicians leading on these projects which has been incredibly inspiring.
“Tina herself has also been a fantastic friend to the band, and has introduced us to other charitable donors who have gone on to be supporters of The Notables themselves.
“We would like to congratulate the whole team on their 30-year milestone and everything they have achieved during this time.”
