Merseyside’s
VitalSigns
Building stronger communities together
OUR THEMES
11 Vital Signs of a strong community
Which issues are important to you?
Arts, culture and heritage make a community a vibrant place to live. An active mix of cultural offerings increases people’s sense of satisfaction with their environment and community pride.
Education & Learning Lifelong learning and educational achievement affect our ability to participate in a competitive workforce, achieve higher incomes and escape the cycle of poverty.
Employment
Arts, Culture & Heritage
Work is vitally important to a good quality of life, it provides a source of income for individuals and families to sustain themselves and adds to an areas output and productivity.
Healthy Living
Good physical and mental health and wellness improves the quality of individuals’ lives and reduces health care costs. The health status of people depends on good health practices and behaviour, and access to health care services.
Local Economy
Strong and vibrant communities have diverse local economies and a wide variety of options for fulfilling, secure, and well-paid work.
Safety
Environment From the air we breathe to the ground we walk on, a healthy and sustainable environment is an important part of quality of life. A healthy environment is reflective of a healthy community.
Fairness For a community to prosper each individual needs to be treated equally. Far greater progress can be made when everyone can contribute their voice and skills; making our community a better place to live.
Housing & Homelessness Shelter is a basic human need that has to be afforded to all. As a strong community, it is our duty to look after the most vulnerable in our society.
Rural Communities Individuals that live in rural areas are at an increased likelihood of feeling lonely, which can lead to poorer health. Let’s make sure everyone feels connected in our community.
Public and personal safety affects the way we socialise and participate in our community. Every member of our community deserves to feel safe.
Strong Communities Participation in civic life contributes to the wellbeing of our community and to our sense of connection to one another. By engaging, we foster leadership that helps build and maintain a vibrant community.
All of the funds and foundations cited in Vital Signs are managed by the Community Foundation on behalf of our donors. 2
Community Foundation Merseyside
Merseyside’s VitalSigns
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Welcome to the 7th Edition of the Community Foundation for Merseyside’s Vital Signs The Community Foundation for Merseyside manages donor funds so they can support local charities and community groups that provide critical and specialist funding to Merseyside’s most vulnerable people. We are one of 46 Community Foundations in the UK and over 1,800 worldwide. Community Foundations worldwide collaborate with families, high net worth individuals, businesses, charitable trusts and the public sector to fund community based solutions, creating social change and improving quality of life. In 2019 we began celebrating our 20th year of giving! Since we began in 1999, we have distributed in excess of £41 million to the local community supporting hundreds of groups and thousands of people. The Community Foundation’s endowment fund stands at over £18 million, an investment that will continuously generate funding for future generations to benefit from. As part of our bespoke service, we spend time understanding our donors’ charitable aims and provide advice to direct their giving using research and experience of need, ensuring funds make the most impact possible. To complement this detailed research we produce Vital Signs, an annual community check-up that reviews the overall vitality of our region and considers our impact through grant making. To improve our knowledge, we asked residents of Merseyside to give their thoughts and opinions about their quality of life. The results unveiled a fantastic sense of belonging and generosity but also highlighted the difficulties and hardship that many residents face, such as limited access to education and poor mental wellbeing. In the last financial year, the Community Foundation has worked hard to award over £1.3 million through 347 grants. With the help of our donors we have been able to impact and improve over 80,000 peoples lives. Some of whom you will become familiar with whilst reading this year’s Vital Signs as this year we have included interviews with individuals who have benefitted from funded projects. As with previous years, demand for funding outweighed supply. In Merseyside we were unable to fund 52% of all the applications we received. Each application we cannot support is potentially a missed opportunity to address a hidden need in the local community. As long as disadvantage continues to exist in our community our work is not done. I would like to end by saying a huge thank you to everyone involved in improving the lives of people across Merseyside. Without you the work we do would not be possible.
Rae Brooke Chief Executive
Quality of life in Merseyside
Residents gave us their thoughts and opinions about the quality of life in their community Let’s Celebrate Quality of life in Merseyside
1 = poor
5 = Excellent
None of the respondents rated their overall quality of life as poor
9%
36%
44%
11%
0
13
55
68
17
1
2
3
4
5
63%
of respondents agree that in general they would describe themselves as happy
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Community Foundation Merseyside
80% of respondents feel like they belong in their community
61%
of respondents had donated money to charity within the last week
Merseyside’s VitalSigns
5
Where we need to improve
35%
36%
of residents would not rate their sense of mental wellbeing as HIGH
of respondents would not rate their sense of physical wellbeing as HIGH
28%
17%
of respondents did not feel like they had access to the education they needed to progress
56%
of respondents did not feel like there are plenty of arts and culture facilities and events on offer in their area
of respondents often felt lonely
53%
of respondents did not feel that there was plenty of sport or activity facilities and event in their area
68% of respondents had seen a rough sleeper within the last week
24% 10% respondents saw or were a victim of criminal activity within the last month
of respondents don’t feel safe where they live
Grants awarded by theme
£21,224
£226,676.50
Arts, Culture and Heritage
Education
£3,860
£6,500
Environment
£6,067
£112,212
Equality (Fairness)
£344,648
Safety
£354,139
Health and Wellbeing
£188,014
Local Economy
Strong Communities
£66,825
Housing and Homelessness
Work (Employment)
Grants awarded by size
116
122
67 27
Up to £900
6
£901 - £2000
Community Foundation Merseyside
£2,001 - £5000
£5,001 - £15,000
7
8
£15,001 - £25,000
£25,001 +
Merseyside’s VitalSigns
Investment in Local Communities Total grants awarded
£1,330,165.50
£3,833 Grants awarded 347 Approximately 81,000 people benefitted Average grant size
Sefton
£294,510 Knowsley
£300,353 St Helens
£44,250 Wirral
£146,496 Halton
£23,320 Liverpool
£521,236
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CHARITY HIGHLIGHT
I had a real heart for the inner city and wanted to do something in the worst places to help the children with the most difficult circumstances to know that they were loved. Claire Morgans, CEO
Watch our video
Ykids
Based in one of the UK’s most deprived areas, YKIDS’ vision is to see the transformation of Bootle through its children and young people, by encouraging and giving the necessary tools to children from disadvantaged backgrounds to become ‘world changers’.
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Community Foundation Merseyside
Vital Signs
Themes
Strong Communities Education & Learning Health & Wellbeing Safety Employment
Community
Need
In Sefton there are 3000
children living in poverty For every 100 Children (0-18yrs) in Bootle, 29 will live in poverty and only 52 will achieve 5 A*- C GCSEs (including English & Maths)
In Sefton, 50%
of hospital admissions for self-harm were aged 10-24 - higher than the national average
Merseyside’s VitalSigns
Meet Claire (Community Leader) “I had grown up in a family that didn’t know how to make me feel valued and loved. I had quite a dysfunctional family and a difficult childhood, even though my family were quite middle class I grew up with quite a few mental health problems. When we began in 2002 in Bootle it was very much a group of volunteers that grew rapidly. In 2004 we took on our first part-time member of staff which was myself and we began to grow from there. The Community Foundation was one of our first funders, from £200 in our
Meet Jack (Beneficiary)
“I wanted to join YKIDS because they always seemed really supportive and after I joined I found out that they were. It was something I always wanted to do because they always were doing something fun and unusual. I have done beekeeping with YKIDS and it was really good, I took a lot from it. We would do bee inspections or sit and actually learn about the bees’, we learned how the structure of a hive
Meet Aaron & Angela (Beneficiaries)
“YKIDS have offered me a lot of things, all the friends and the relationships with the staff that I’ve made over the 3 years I have been here. I have dyslexia which makes reading and writing hard and they’ve really helped with it. They help me with the work I need to do at school, especially hitting year 11, they’ve made me revise more for exams in school, pushing me toward what I want to do, to get the grades for what I want to do. I want to be a professional footballer but if that doesn’t work out then teaching in a school.”
first pot to our turnover being now half a million. I remember dancing around the room when we first got that £200 because it meant someone believed in us. I really value building a relationship with funders because it is a two-way street, we want the funder to see and know that they have really made a difference and have made an impact. With the Community Foundation we have been able to do that because we have built a relationship over many years. If it wasn’t for them, we wouldn’t be here now, so thanks to the Community Foundation and all the funders they have a relationship with that have helped along the way.”
works, the hierarchy in the hive and it was just a really enjoyable educational experience. It wasn’t sit down and read from a textbook like it is in school, it is more hands-on and interactive. I have autism and ADHD so if I hadn’t had YKIDS I don’t think I’d be here today. There’s been times where I have been really low and not had anywhere else to go apart from YKIDS, the social aspect of my life wouldn’t have been the same because I wouldn’t have gone out of my house and spoken to people. The only time I leave my house is to come here and meet people, YKIDS has just been a really big part of my life.”
“I came into YKIDS with my grandson Aaron three years ago, it changed our lives completely, and we were in a dark place before we came here. They’re so friendly, they’re special people, if you need a talk or a chat anytime or if you call in there’s always somebody there to talk to you. Aaron is here every day, he does football, homework club, beehives, and all different things. I have watched him blossom here, he has become the grandson I am so proud of.”
Community
Investment This year, to highlight our long term impact, we decided to select a group that we’ve supported over many years. As one of YKIDS first ever funders in 2002 we have spent a long time developing a relationship and supporting their work. Since their establishment YKIDS have received a range of different sized grants from £250 to purchase video equipment to £20,000 to create an accredited volunteer programme that was requested by the kids themselves. The Liverpool ONE Foundation is one of YKIDS most frequent donors. The Liverpool ONE Foundation focuses on improving the mental health and wellbeing of children and young people and have donated over £50,000. YKIDS is an excellent example of the impact a group can make in their local community and the Community Foundation look forward to supporting them and the children of Sefton for many years to come.
Supported with
21 Grants Total Funding
£108,918
Supported by Police Property Act Liverpool ONE Foundation High Sheriff & Merseyside Police Charitable Fund Comic Relief Merseyside Youthbank 23 Foundation
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FOCUS GROUP
Whisc Watch our video
Vital Signs
Themes
Health & Wellbeing Strong Communities Education & Learning Safety
Women's Health Information & Support Centre
Employment
Based on Bold Street in the heart of Liverpool City Centre is WHISC, a charity dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of women and their families, by offering an extensive range of information, support and guidance services.
One in three women will
Last year WHISC had contact with over 13,500 women and provided over 2,500 ‘Listening Ear’ sessions, a no-appointment-needed service for women in distress.
The economic and social cost [of domestic violence] to Merseyside is estimated to be around
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Community Foundation Merseyside
Fairness
Community
Need
experience some form of domestic abuse in their life time
Women in poverty are more likely to face poor mental health, with 29% of women in poverty experiencing a common mental health disorder compared to 16% of women not in poverty
£45 million per year
Merseyside’s VitalSigns
We spent the afternoon with some of the women who use WHISC’s services, finding out what WHISC means to them and the difference it makes in their lives... Theresa (Beneficiary) I came to one of the drop-in support groups, counselling it was, it wasn’t facilitated by anyone, it was just people sitting down and chatting and talking about their fears. I continued to come, and eventually, when I started feeling better within myself, I started doing other courses like the Women’s Health Course and Stress Busters. WHISC is somewhere that you can come into broken and leave fully empowered because everything is under one roof. Instead of having to go do counselling somewhere and courses somewhere else this is a safe space for women, a welcoming space.
Mary (Beneficiary) One day I thought I’m going to go in there and see if there is somebody who can help me, I came in and straight away was given a cup of tea and I explained my situation. From that day on, my world completely changed.
Christine (Beneficiary)
I do something call the listening ear, so ladies will come in off the street and sometimes they’re quite distressed and I will sit and listen to them and suggest the other parts of the service in WHISC they could use. By using the different services that we have you see their confidence growing and see them moving on.
Eleanor (Beneficiary) I try to use my experience, what helped me to change my situation and move onto the next step and share it with others. I help a lot of women with computer skills and if they need a CV or a leaflet or need to work with some specific software.
Alesha (Beneficiary) My favourite thing about WHISC is coming in and talking. I like how welcome I am here; I am a very shy person so it’s great to have somewhere I can put myself out there and speak freely without being judged.
All the staff and volunteers are very friendly, I have been coming a long time and they are like a family to me.”
Community
Investment... In 2018/19 WHISC received £9,883 from the Merseyside Women’s Fund. This funding supported the continuation of WHISC core services which run 6 days a week and include a 4 day a week drop-in service and support groups. Many women who engage with WHISC go on to become volunteers and lead group activities and drop ins, applying their lived experience of an issue to teach other women in their community. WHISC also received £2,475 from the 23 Foundation. The funding was used to continue the dropin support groups that focus on strength and support for women suffering from depression and anxiety.
Supported with
4 Grants Total Funding
£23,831
Supported by 23 Foundation Merseyside Women’s Fund Open Arms Fund Comic Relief
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BENEFICIARY INTERVIEW
4Wings is a charitable organisation that offers a supportive and safe environment to socially excluded and marginalised groups who identify as having mental health challenges because of experienced trauma, abuse and displacement. A large majority of 4Wings clients come from refugee or asylum-seeking backgrounds and have been subjected to multiple layers of oppression.
Vital Signs
Themes
Strong Communities Education & Learning Fairness Health & Wellbeing
Community
Need
After Glasgow and Birmingham,
Liverpool has the third largest refugee community in the UK
In 2017, the ‘We Are Still Here’ report by Women for Refugee Women found 62% of the women
they interviewed said they were survivors of rape or other sexual violence Refugees have a particular hard time accessing higher education. According to UNHCR, only 1% of eligible refugees today have access
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4Wings Community Foundation Merseyside
Merseyside’s VitalSigns
Meet Asha (Beneficiary) I came to Liverpool nine months ago from Pakistan and applied for my asylum. My housemate told me about this women’s group that helped with self-esteem and coping. I was not initially good with communication, so she brought me here. At the start I attended one session, I didn’t know how to face people so I came and then I ran away, I didn’t show up for the next sessions. Then I received a form from 4Wings asking why I didn’t attend and offering me more help. When I came back to one of their drop-in sessions I found that for the one or two hours you are here, you feel comfortable. You can find a community, someone who
Meet Manono (Beneficiary) When I first arrived in Liverpool, I had just got out of an immigration detention centre. I was home alone, spending more and more time in the house because I didn’t have anywhere else to go, I had no family. I heard about 4Wings and at that time I was told they just dealt with domestic violence but I thought why can’t I just walk in and explain my situation. I walked in, I explained myself and they said “Oh you are welcome, there is lots of activities you can get involved with.”
speaks the same language, so you don’t feel isolated for a couple of hours. Mostly with asylum you move away from your family and there is lots of confusion inside you. The assignments they give us like talk to a new person, helps with your communication and to move away from these feelings. My favourite thing about coming here is that you learn a lot about yourself, I didn’t know a lot of things about myself, I didn’t know which things I like, I didn’t know how to explain my thoughts. But I have learnt through this group. I didn’t know I was depressed or that I had anxiety but through this class I recognised the signs and symptoms of anxiety and how to talk about these things. Here you talk about the positive things about you. Here you realise you are not alone. It is time to accept that I have positive things about me.
The first day I came I was so happy, the welcome I got from the people meant I wanted to continue going. We were sitting down, storytelling and just talking, discussing our own problems and situations we were facing at that time. I am proud of everything I have achieved at 4 Wings, I am proud of the environment and the things we share with each other. I am really really proud of our storytelling YouTube Channel. I really want to continue with 4Wings because we all have problems but when we come here we feel like we don’t have problems at all. When you go home you feel the stress, when you come here you feel like you can forget everything. If there are people out there who don’t have anyone, or have anything, families, nowhere to go. I would like to invite you to 4Wings, we are nice people, we want to sit with others, and we love to share our stories. If you are out there 4Wings really helps with your mental health problems.
Community
Investment... 4Wings completed their £4,860 Comic Relief project. This funding was used to maintain the group’s drop-in service. Many of the individuals who engage with 4 wings are refugees or asylum seekers. Many refugees or asylum seekers suffer from PTSD, anxiety and/or depression a result of past trauma. The weekly dropin service offered practical and emotional support including oneto-one counselling, group socials and volunteering/educational opportunities. Last year 4 Wings received £9,848 from the Merseyside Women’s Fund. This funding was used to build a social network for girls through the development of a ‘Happy News Channel’. The YouTube channel will spread a positive message, connect and educate through interviews with women and girls from various backgrounds. Also, participants will learn transferable skills whilst designing the channel and recording material.
Supported with
3 Grants Total Funding
£24,708
Supported by Merseyside Women’s Fund New Beginnings Comic Relief
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BENEFICIARY INTERVIEW
Vital Signs
Themes
Health & Wellbeing Strong Communities
Community
Need
Based on the Index of Multiple Deprivation Knowsley is the second most deprived local authority in the UK Overall life expectancy in Knowsley currently stands at almost 77 years for males and just over 80 years for females.
Volair
Significantly lower than the UK average of 79.2 years for men and 82.9 years for women
Fifteen minutes of exercise a day can boost life expectancy by three years and cut death risk by 14%
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Community Foundation Merseyside
Volair is a not for profit, local authority owned and managed facility that has been established to maintain leisure services in Knowsley. Deprivation, low income and poverty creates measurable health inequalities that impact the local communities’ health and wellbeing.
Merseyside’s VitalSigns
Meet Tommy (Beneficiary) “I was put on the ‘activity for life’ programme and this is about the fourth week now and I’m enjoying it. I’m feeling healthier, I’m not out of breath anymore. The instructors, especially in the gym put you through it but make it fun as well. You are doing it for yourself, but you also have a laugh.
The service we offer is activity for life, it is a 12 week GP referral programme, so we get people from the community who can benefit through exercise.
I think it’s brilliant for the community. It’s very important [to exercise] because if you don’t do it and you’re not active all the time you don’t keep the brain, the legs and the body moving and working. You just sit around you’ll stiffen up, which can lead to ankle swells. Being on the go is far better for you, it’s hard work but it’s enjoyable. I would tell others to come along do it, meet new people, then relax and enjoy.”
Meet VIcky (Healthy Lifestyle Advisor) “The service we offer is activity for life, it is a 12 week GP referral programme, so we get people from the community who can benefit through exercise. We do low impact work with them, things like circuit training, tai chi, aqua size, swimming and gym sessions. All exercises that are designed to improve their health through fitness. Over 12 weeks you can see a difference in health, you can see a lowering blood pressure, maybe a drop in weight. You also see an improvement in social and mental health and wellbeing, over the years people might not want to leave the house, might not have any friends or family and they come here and they find that social element and it helps with those issues. A lot of elderly people, over 60 have never been to a gym before, or a gym environment because they see people who are big body builders and in lycra but it isn’t like that here because we are a community centre so we have everyone, every ability, every age, everyone comes to this centre. It is really important for people to come here and belong.”
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Community
Investment In 2018/19 Volair received a grant of £21,931 from the Big Local Trust Northwood. The grant was used to establish a 15-week series of physical activity sessions. The hourly sessions took place four times per week and were based in Northwood Community Centre and Kirkby Leisure Centre. The free sessions were used to improve participant’s health by initially getting people exercising, then signposting to one-to-one health checks and finally producing a health professional prescribed exercise regime based on an individual’s overall health. After Volair successfully piloted a kids’ breakfast club Big Local Trust Northwood also awarded £840 to establish the club for the long term. The club provide 20 children with regular exercise session and a meal.
Supported with
3 Grants Total Funding
£28,771
Supported by Northwood Big Local Trust
BENEFICIARY INTERVIEW
The Whitechapel Centre is one of the leading homelessness and housing charities in the Liverpool City Region. The charity works with people who are sleeping rough, living in hostels or struggling to manage their accommodation.
Vital Signs
Themes
Housing & Homelessness Strong Communities Health & Wellbeing
Community
Need
Since 2010 there has been a 165% increase in rough sleeping and a 66% increase in all forms of homelessness in England
The average age of a rough sleeper at death was 44 years for men and 42 years for women
If 40,000 people were prevented from becoming homeless for one year in England it would save the public purse £370 million
The
l e p a h c e t i h W Centre 16
Community Foundation Merseyside
Merseyside’s VitalSigns
Minnie is happy here, content and safe and the staff absolutely love her and she loves the staff. Meet Ashleigh & Minnie (Beneficiaries)
“Before Whitechapel and before I had Minnie, I had a very chaotic lifestyle. I was always in and out of trouble and my mum was always throwing me out. I have two other children who got taken off me and placed with other family members because I was drinking a lot and selfharming. I was always in and out of hospital and staying at other people’s house. I wasn’t getting along with my family, I was always going round drunk. I was involved with the police nearly every day, my family just got sick of me and didn’t want me staying so I started sofa surfing, sometimes I would sleep in the park or on the streets. It was like a circle I was going round in.
After I had Minnie I got placed in a mother and baby foster placement for four months and then I moved into supported accommodation managed by the Whitechapel Centre. I have been at Whitechapel since March this year. I think you can stay here for two years but I am hoping to get my own place pretty soon. The staff always try and get you involved in everything. I go to baby music lessons and we’ve been on trips to the safari park. They help you manage your benefits, debts and move on to get your own property. After you have left the service they will still help you settle in and you can always come back and visit and if I ever need any help wherever I am I should get in contact with them, which is really good. Whitechapel has impacted my life by showing me that I can live on my own with a baby. I am a completely different woman since being here. I never thought I would have anything like this, a flat like I have here. I lived a life where I had nothing and now I have come here and I have this, I have my little daughter and I wouldn’t change her for the world. I have completely settled down and I am completely made up. Minnie is happy here, content and safe and the staff absolutely love her and she loves the staff. I know a lot of people have said I will fail but I have proven everyone wrong and the people I used to associate with I haven’t seen since I have been here. I have taken myself away from all that and I am better off. I’m not going back to the way I was; it is forward now for me.”
Community
Investment... Whitechapel was awarded £44,331 from the Nationwide Building Society Community Grants fund. This funded the expansion of Whitechapel accommodation. Whilst in shared accommodation individuals receive support including volunteering, employability and wellbeing opportunities and skills building to manage their future tenancies.
Supported with
3 Grants Total Funding
£51,217
Supported by Nationwide Building Society High Sheriff & Merseyside Police Charitable Fund Warm Homes Liverpool
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BENEFICIARY INTERVIEW
s c i m o C h t u o Y Founded in 2015, Comics Youth is a creative community organisation led by young people, for young people. The youth service provides creative opportunities for children and young people aged 8 – 25 across the city region.
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Community Foundation Merseyside
Vital Signs
Themes
Employment Strong Communities Health & Wellbeing Education & Learning Arts, Heritage and Culture
Community
Need...
Merseyside data reveals that over the last eight years, reports of
hate crime related to sexual orientation have risen by 253%
In Merseyside reports of
transphobic hate crimes have increased from three in 2010 to 42 in 2018
44% of young LGBT people have considered suicide compared to 26% of heterosexual non-trans young people
52% of LGBT people in the UK said they had experienced depression in the last year
Merseyside’s VitalSigns
Meet Sophie (Beneficiary) “I found out about Comics Youth when I met Rhiannon (Service Provider) on the train back from Pride Festival last year. I asked her what she was reading and once we got talking I told her I was an LGBTQ youth. I kept in contact and when Comics Youth moved over from Kirkby to Liverpool city centre it became a lot more accessible for me and I started dropping in, volunteering and eventually using the services. If they need help I’ll run group activities but I also come just to get work done. We can use here as a dropin space, I utilise that a lot and since then I have made a ton of really good friends through Comics Youth, we tend to meet here. It is a good place to be, to be with people who are like-minded and who are not judgemental. I left sixth form because of judgement. People didn’t accept who I was, friends, and teachers so I had to leave and I was out of education for a little while. There are certain places around where I live I can’t go because I will get things shouted at me or thrown at me just for dressing the way I am. Being at Comics Youth is totally different because nobody cares, it is just a big change. It is very welcoming and being in a space where you feel welcome, accepted and valued does wonders to someone who hasn’t felt that.
Without Comics Youth, my life would be more negative, this gives me a purpose to go out and do things and see people. I know that here if I say something wrong I will just be gently dealt with, if I say something right it will be amplified rather than getting pushed under the rug. Comics Youth has allowed me to see my views as valuable and fight for those views instead of just saying OK it’s not going to happen, I’m a lot less apathetic now. My favourite thing about Comics Youth is the people, they have welcomed me with open arms. It is a very safe and supportive space where you can be creative and express your feelings, thoughts and queerness through art and creativity. Everyone is so lovely that you just can’t help feel a sense of community when you come here and that feeling of being accepted is what makes this place as good as it is, you know you’re fine here. It is the people and the community. Without Comics Youth, my life would be more negative, this gives me a purpose to go out and do things and see people whereas if it wasn’t here I wouldn’t have the confidence or connections. I would be very much on my own in, in my house, doing nothing because I wouldn’t have a reason to do anything”
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Community
Investment... In 2018/19 Comics Youth received a total of 5 grants. Tilney awarded £5,000 to run a programme specifically aimed at hard to reach young people who are NEET and experiencing complex mental ill-health. #iwill Fund contributed £5,000 toward a project that allowed marginalised young people to design and lead art exhibitions highlighting the lack of mental health support for young people. The High Sheriff & Merseyside Police Charitable Fund awarded £2,250 to run 3 12 week programmes that will engage children and young people on the periphery of crime in arts. £1,250 of 23 Foundation funding went towards ‘The Queer Voices’ project which aimed to enable more people to reach their full potential and reduce social isolation through the establishment of 2 LGBTQ+ information hubs. The Liverpool ONE Foundation awarded £14,973 to support a first of its kind partnership project between Comics Youth, the University of Liverpool and Alder Hey Children’s Hospital.
Supported with
11 Grants Total Funding
£54,229
Supported by #iwill Fund Police Property Act High Sheriff & Merseyside Police Charitable Fund Tilney Bestinvest Liverpool ONE Foundation 23 Foundation Hill Dickinson Foundation WO Street Foundation
BENEFICIARY INTERVIEW
Migrant Workers
Migrant Workers Sefton Community (MWSC) was established in 2007 to support international workers and their dependents in Sefton and surrounding areas who were experiencing discrimination, unfair treatment and financial hardship particularly in the fields of access to employment, housing, healthcare, welfare entitlements and financial services.
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Community Foundation Merseyside
Vital Signs
Themes
Safety Education & Learning Health & Wellbeing Fairness
Community
Need
In Merseyside during 2018 there were 1,613 reported incidents of
hate crime
There have been spikes in hate crime following certain events such as the EU Referendum and the terrorist attacks in 2017
About 80% of foreign-born migrants who have been residents in the UK for less than five years live in the private rented sector, compared to about 20% of the UK-born population
Merseyside’s VitalSigns
Meet Zeta (Beneficiary)
“I came to England because I am old and the factories were shutting down in my home country, Lithuania, so there was no work for me. When I first arrived I worked at *Riccadonna picking vegetables in the fields for two years, I was one of the original Riccadonna workers. I now have three smaller jobs which I am very happy in and because of MWSC classes I now know what is fair. I also care for Valentina because she only has the use of one arm and one leg, she needs support every day, no day off, no holiday for me. But I am happy. The language barrier is really difficult and school is too expensive for me, at the minute it is £400 per year. MWSC put on some English lessons that I went to which were really helpful. My favourite thing about MWSC is Eileen (service provider); she has been so good in helping me and Valentina. For me I don’t miss home, I have four children and they will come here and visit. I am very happy now because here I can work; when you are not working it is not good for your head or your physical health. Life is very good here.”
*In 2010, as reported in the Southport Visitor, Riccadonna Produce came under scrutiny after reports of mistreatment and breaches of human rights from former workers including being paid £40 for three weeks work, working up to 90 hours a week and being evicted from their homes with little notice. In 2010 the Gangmasters Licensing Authority (GLA) revoked Riccadonna Produce’s licence after it was found to be non-compliant with a number of GLA’s licensing standards including verbally abusing workers, breaching the National Minimum Wage by charging workers for utilities outside of the Accommodation Offset rules and by charging for transport, issuing wage slips which were irregular as they did not record the deductions being made, retaining ID documents until workers repaid Riccadonna the cost of the Workers Registration Scheme and workers having to provide their own Personal Protective Equipment. This is the second time Riccadonna has had a licence revoked – their first licence was revoked in September 2009. MWSC supported formers workers providing legal guidance and advice and emotional support.
Community
Investment Last year MWSC received £5,000 from the Crime Prevention Fund. The funding was used to teach migrants about forms of crime they are particularly vulnerable to such as domestic violence, hate crime, loan sharking and human trafficking and make them aware of the various ways these crimes can be reported. MWSC also received £2,250 from the High Sheriff & Merseyside Police Charitable Fund to assist all clients who came to the charity for help with domestic violence. Supported included applying for legal aid and reporting domestic violence, translating on behalf of clients and emotional and mental support.
Supported with
9 Grants Total Funding
£24,172
Supported by Crime Prevention Fund High Sheriff & Merseyside Police Charitable Fund Liverpool ONE Foundation
When I first arrived I worked at Riccadonna picking vegetables in the fields for two years, I was one of their original workers.
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Peel Ports 500
Make a difference We work as part of a national network of 46 UK Community Foundations providing expert charitable advice, sound management and due diligence support services to make charitable giving easy, tax-efficient and robust. This allows our clients to achieve their charitable objectives without onerous administration.
Giving options Working with us is an ideal way for you or your business to get directly involved in charitable giving without the time consuming administrative or legal responsibilities and understanding of charity law. We provide the opportunity to set up a stand alone charitable fund or foundation for your personal, family or corporate charitable aims, named by you for your aims and involving your family or colleagues. A dedicated relationship manager will work with you on developing plans, identifying cause areas and levels of involvement enabling you to direct your giving whilst they provide guidance.
As an Organisation
Endowment
We’ve helped companies and public sector bodies such as Hill Dickinson, Liverpool ONE, Tilney Group, Medicash, Santander, Shop Direct, the Home Office and Peel Ports and more set up funds and foundations to connect them to the causes that they care about. We work closely with our partners so that we can integrate our services with their charitable goals and provide reports on social impact.
We view charitable giving as a long-term strategic investment. For those who wish to achieve this objective, your capital is invested and the income earned is awarded in charitable donations, achieving long-lasting impact for the community with a continuous annual income for distributing grants. We hold in excess of ÂŁ18 million in endowment, and have ambitious targets to grow the fund for the benefit of our communities.
As an Individual We realise that at the core of everybody’s charitable giving is a unique motive and for that reason our service is adaptable, tailored and bespoke. We have worked with a number of notable individuals such as Jamie Carragher, Sir Michael Bibby and Sir Terry Leahy to help achieve their charitable aims.
Flow-through A second option available is flow-through funds which are distributed as grants within a defined period of time, often by making an annual donation which is distributed within that year to make an immediate impact.
Establish a Legacy
Trust transfers
We can help you create a unique and lasting legacy for your community which reflects your personal wishes, supports the causes and issues, or the area you care about and benefits future generations in the years to come.
We can revitalise ineffective funds through trust transfers and set up effective named funds managed by us. If your trust fund has become ineffective or if you are looking to transfer your active trust fund, we can offer a bespoke charitable giving service.
Our expert team are able to design a bespoke strategy that addresses both practical and emotional considerations ensuring a more personalised experience.
The work of the Community Foundation in revitalising dormant or ineffective trusts is acknowledged by the Charity Commission.
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Community Foundation Merseyside
Merseyside’s VitalSigns
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Our Supporters The work we do would not be possible without the support of all those listed below
#iwill Fund 23 Foundation ACC Liverpool Group Foundation Alfred Shaw Trust Fund B&M Communities Together Fund BHP Biliton Fund Bernie Fleming ALCF Big Local Northwood Together Fund Blue Sky Foundation British Red Cross Open Arms Fund Bridgebuilder Foundation Building a Stronger Britain Together Fund
Liverpool ONE Foundation Liverpool Tennis Foundation Mark McQueen Foundation Medicash Merseyside Community Investment Fund Merseyside Wellbeing Fund MJ Bibby Fund Momentum Foundation Nationwide Building Society Nationwide Foundation Olivia Rae Foundation Peel Ports 500 Fund
Christine Ann Foundation Comic Relief Daneway Foundation Dulverton Trust Halton Foundation Knights House Fund High Sheriff & Merseyside Police Charitable Fund Hill Dickinson Foundation Investec Wealth and Investment Fund John Goore Trust Joseph Harley Bequest Fund Knowsley Foundation Leahy Foundation
Police Commissioners Crime Prevention Fund Police Commissioners Police Property Act Fund Ray Messer Foundation Rossiter Foundation Royal London Foundation Sefton MBC Education and Learning Fund Shop Direct Fund Tilney Bestinvest Fund Uber Moving Fund W O Street Foundation
Thank you
Join us and make a difference in your community Whether you’re considering setting up a fund, interested in further developing your knowledge of local need or simply want to explore options available to you - please contact us:
Rae Brooke
Karen Morris
Chief Executive
Development Director
T: 0151 294 4757
T: 0151 294 4751
M: 07515328162
M: 07973409858
E: rae.brooke@cflm.email
E: karen.morris@cflm.email
With special thanks to: Our President: Lord Lieutenant Mark Blundell Our Patron: Cherie Blair Our Chair and Trustees: Arthur Roberts (Retired Senior Director, BNFL) Amanda Meachin (CEO, Community & Business Partners) Andy Myers (Retired Regional Head of National Lottery Community Fund) Carmel Hall (Retired HR Director, Alstom Power Services) Chris Bliss (Co-Founder & Director, Momentum Property Solutions) Colin Wardale (Retired Finance Director, Hill Dickinson) David Wareing (Head of Marine and Trade, Hill Dickinson) Dennis Mendoros (Entrepreneur and Founder of Euravia Engineering) Steven Connolly (Estate Director, Liverpool ONE) Project team: Ben Roberts Gary Vyse James Proctor Alan Gillespie (Research Assistant Intern) Niamh Whitney (Research Assistant Intern)
Third Floor Stanley Buildings Liverpool One Estate 43 Hanover Street Liverpool L1 3DN Call: 0330 440 4900 Email: info@cflm.email www: cfmerseyside.org.uk cfmerseyside
@CF_Merseyside
Registered Charity Number: 1068887 Registered Company Number: 03422207
in association with
