GET INSPIRED
After a wonderful effort by our supporters in raising more than £12,000 through this year’s Great North Run, we’re now aiming to achieve our biggest ever team when the world’s biggest half-marathon returns in 2018. We’re looking for our supporters to commit early to taking part in the 2018 run towards supporting Teesside’s good causes for this epic event. For more information on obtaining a guaranteed place to support Teesside good causes please call Mandy on 01642 686018 or email mandy.s@teessidecharity.org.uk
CHAIRMAN’S MESSAGE
ACTIVE-LY INVOLVED
SO MUCH MORE TO DO
A golf day organised by our long-standing patrons Active Chartered Financial Planners raised £410 for the Foundation.
Fighting for Teesside together. That’s the slogan of the Philanthropic Foundation, and words our supporters live by in working with one another for the good of our region.
The day saw golf enthusiasts of all abilities take part in a memorable event featuring many of Active’s partners and customers, including representatives of their fellow Foundation patrons.
And our new partnership with the Finlay Cooper Fund is the epitome of Fighting for Teesside together.
DIVE IN!
Finlay Cooper Fund is a fantastic local charity set up by former Middlesbrough FC star Colin Cooper and his wife Julie, with support of one of our trustees, Lee Bramley, and two other passionate Teessiders, Graham Fordy and Nick Waites. They are committed to helping local children’s causes. As you can read about in this issue, an amazing £35,000 donation by Finlay Cooper Fund has enabled us to purchase a second caravan near Filey to create short breaks for some of Teesside’s least privileged families and children. Over the past 12 months, we’ve been able to provide short breaks for nearly 100 of Teesside’s most disadvantaged children through a caravan we purchased at the end of 2016. Now, thanks to the support of the Finlay Cooper Fund and 20 other local organisations and individuals who donated at least £1,000 each to the cause, we’ve been able to purchase a second caravan. That means we can double the number of children and families we’re able to help over the next 12 months. It just feels fantastic that so many Teessiders are joining forces to create a powerful force for good and creating pockets of joy for some of our most deserving local families.
We have secured 10 places to skydive at the Durham Parachute Centre in Shotton Colliery on Saturday March 17 with arrivals from 10am. There is a £50 entry fee, which is paid directly to Freedom Skydiving by calling Sara on 0191 3692468. We then ask you to raise £395 in sponsorship for our Foundation. For more information please contact mandy.s@teessidecharity.org.uk or call 01642 686018.
A MEASURED DONATION
Our thanks to the Teesside Committee of the Institute of Measurement and Control for their generous donation of £500 to the Foundation. The funds were raised at the Institute’s 70th Anniversary Reception, an annual dinner and reunion, held at Middlesbrough Golf Club. The Foundation was nominated to receive funds raised at the dinner by John Noon, chairman of the Institute’s Teesside Committee.
CHARITY TO THE FORE
Here’s news of a donation from our patrons Henderson Insurance Brokers that’s pretty much par for the course when it comes to their ongoing generosity. Henderson’s kindly donated their takings from a raffle held at their recent Golf Day at Wynyard Golf Club, meaning we received an unexpected bonus of £875 towards Teesside worthy causes.
But this is no time for us to rest on our laurels. There’s so much more work for us to do. The need is really high.
GOLFING DATE
A date for the diaries of our golf-loving supporters: our next Annual Golf Day takes place at Rockliffe Hall Golf Club on June 7 2018.
Everyone should enjoy an unashamedly great time with family, friends and luxury over the festive period. But do please spare a little good will and maybe some money for your fellow Teessiders who deserve more than their current lot in life. Andy Preston Founder-Chairman
Published by: Middlesbrough and Teesside Philanthropic Foundation Editor: Dave Allan, DNA PR & Publicity Design: Eighty8 Design Photography: Doug Moody Photography, Martin Walker, Stuart Boulton, Tom Banks, Chris Booth Printed by: Quoin Website: www. teessidecharity.org.uk Email: info@teessidecharity.org.uk Facebook: Teesside Charity Twitter: @teessidecharity
NEWS
TASTES OF THE TEES
Here’s a chance to enjoy a culinary journey with a selection of the region’s best restaurants - and help raise funds for worthy causes on Teesside. The 12 Tastes Of The Tees 2018 Food Calendar is the inspiration of Castlegate Shopping Centre manager Karen Eve. As a patron of the Foundation, the shopping centre continually look at ways to be inventive in their support for our charity. Karen said: “In producing the calendar, we’re able to put a spotlight on the varied restaurants we have in our region, while also raising money for local worthy causes with 100% of all proceeds raised from the sale of the calendar going to the Philanthropic Foundation.” The 12 Tastes Of The Tees features photography of the food on offer at top local restaurants Muse, The Fork in the Road, Brasserie Hudson Quay, The Crathorne Arms, Cena, The Kings Grill, Acklam Hall, Bay Horse Hurworth, Cafe Lilli, The Curing House, The Golden Lion and Chadwicks Inn Maltby. 12 Tastes Of The Tees is available to buy for just £7 and would make an ideal gift this Christmas. To order, contact Chantal Taylor at Castlegate 01642 672783 or chantal.taylor@knightfrank.com. Alternatively, order online at teessidecharity.org.uk
IT’S IN THE BLOOD
QUESTION TIME
We’re thrilled to have helped Teesside charity Bloodrun EVS purchase this new motorbike after receiving £2,000 through one of our Golden Giveaways.
Question number 1: how much did our first ever fundraising quiz raise? Answer: an amazing £2,232!
Bloodrun provides an out-of-hours transportation service for blood, tests, samples and medical equipment to save the local NHS money and aid in faster diagnosis of patients.
Question number 2: who organised the quiz? Answer: The brilliant people at Paul Card Recruitment.
Last year the motorcycling volunteers who support this amazing charity responded to more than 1,000 calls.
With the help of match funding from our patrons at Barclays Middlesbrough and questions by quiz master Stephen Downing, the event was a great success at the Riverside Stadium.
That saw them carry all sorts of vital supplies such as blood tests, documents, cancer biopsies, milk, medical equipment and much more. Bloodrun EVS is funded completely by donations and sponsorship.
Congratulations to the winning team, The Bohos, including Dianne Gould, Nica Atkins, Diane Williamson, Bernadette Rizzi-Allan, Ian Paterson and Dave Allan.
3
NEWS
The Foundation’s Mandy Shields receives a £6,800 cheque from AV Dawson staff following the successful rail event.
CHARITY IS AV DAWSON’S TRAIN OF THOUGHT A charity rail event organised by our patrons AV Dawson to celebrate the growth of its Teesside freight terminal raised more than £6,800 for local charities.
The £6,800 raised is being managed through the Foundation. More than £400 was also raised for a local Brownies group, who provided cakes and refreshments at the event.
More than 200 people joined a train tour of AV Dawson’s 100-acre site, promoted by the Branch Line Society.
The tour was also extended onto AV Dawson’s quayside site, which represented the first time this section of track has carried passengers since 1830.
The train gave rail and rolling stock enthusiasts rare visits to the facilities, where they experienced being shunted as part of a one-hour return trip around the terminal.
NO FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Staff at Portrack-based business property experts Mandale raised £3,500 when taking on a 24-hour fast. There was nil by mouth for Team Mandale after they were inspired to go on a fundraising fast when they heard that many Teesside kids often go without regular meals during school holidays. All the funds raised by Mandale will go towards our Schools Hardship Fund and local food banks to aid Teessiders who are suffering poverty right here on our doorstep.
4
BADGE OF HONOUR
Our logo now stands proudly on the wall of The Beacon in Coulby Newham following a £5,500 grant donation. Shaun Hughes of our long-standing patrons Erimus Insurance Brokers paid a visit to The Beacon to see progress on the fantastic refurbishment work there. Coulby Newham Baptist Church runs vital voluntary initiatives from this building - fantastic work they’ve been able to expand thanks to our support for the much-needed renovation work.
SWEET DREAMS
Dreaming Big: more than 100 took part in the latest Big Tees Sleepout.
BIG NEWS
The Big Tees Sleepout at Ormesby Hall attracted 100 BIG-hearted Teessiders including several BIG fundraisers. They raised more than £15,000 for local poverty and homelessness-fighting charities by bravely sleeping out on a cold Friday night. They faced a largely sleepless night of real discomfort - but it was just for one night.
BUSINESS BOOST
Business leaders swapped their laptops for sleeping bags as they slept rough for the night to raise £27,000 towards creating training and job opportunities for long-term unemployed Teessiders. The Victorian Street at Preston Park Museum played host to 45 businessmen and women as part of CEO Sleepout, a national fundraising phenomenon that began as part of the Philanthropic Foundation. Proceeds from the event will go towards funding training and apprenticeship opportunities for long-term unemployed Teessiders at The Fork in the Road, a charity-run restaurant on Middlesbrough’s Linthorpe Road.
The biz: Tees business leaders slept out for our sister charity CEO Sleepout.
Many others feel real hardship every night - and it was for them that our big-hearted hundred gave up the comfort and warmth of their own beds to show they care enough to help. A big mention for the top fundraising teams of Biffa and The Dream Team plus leading fundraising individuals Alex Adamson, Ron Arundale, Danielle Russell and Amy Webster. Ten Big Tees Sleepout events have now raised a grand total of £114,000.
The eatery provides training and job opportunities for ex-offenders, recovering addicts and other long-term unemployed. Led by Foundation chairman Andy Preston, our sister charity has already raised nearly £1.5 million to fight homelessness and poverty around the country. The first CEO Sleepout was organised by the Philanthropic Foundation outside Middlesbrough FC’s Riverside Stadium in 2013. Since then similar events have been hosted by some of Britain’s most iconic venues, including Lord’s, The Oval, Manchester’s Emirates Old Trafford, Headingley in Leeds, St James’ Park in Newcastle, The Alnwick Garden in Northumberland and Durham Cathedral.
5
OUR DONATIONS
Pictures: Doug Moody
Winners: Patron Alastair Waite with young people at Gym World, who received £1,000 from the Foundation.
GYM WORLD WONDERS
The amazing young people of Gym World are doing somersaults after bringing home an incredible collection of 29 medals and 24 ribbons from the Special Olympics in Sheffield. We were delighted to help make their big trip to the Steel City possible with the donation of £1,000 through our Golden Giveaway which helped towards the costs of accommodation, travel, food and clothing. And they did Teesside proud!
Training at Middlesbrough College, the group has been going for nearly a quarter of a century, giving opportunities to both adults and children with differing levels of disability including Down Syndrome. Their motto is “If I cannot win then let me be brave in the attempt”. This time they were brave but they were winners too! We were delighted to help make their dreams come true and proud to see them do so well. Our patron Alastair Waite paid a visit to Gym World to see the young people in action and congratulate them on their successes.
THIS IS WHAT MATTERS
Nigel Willis of our patrons First Choice Labels went to check out the amazing new facilities at Redcar’s Sacred Heart Secondary Catholic Academy after we donated £1,660 to their Heart of the Matter support programme. Heart of the Matter help children aged 11 to 16 who are suffering from emotional and mental health problems, helping students work out how to deal with negative thoughts and make positive changes to enable them to lead successful lives after they leave school. The school has had a significant rise in the number of students experiencing distress, anxiety and self harmrelated mental health issues, and the programme supports children suffering family breakdowns, bereavements, abuse, post-traumatic stress syndrome, eating disorders, depression and anger management issues. The programme’s Emotional Health Practitioner works with about 60 students, while they also have a team that includes a volunteer therapeutic counsellors and a trainee doctorate counselling psychologist.
6
Visitor: Nigel Willis of Redcar-based First Choice Labels took a look around the facilities at Sacred Heart Secondary’s Heart of the Matter mental health programme.
Our grant helped Heart of the Matter create a positive space for discussing mental health issues.
Packing a punch: Alisdair Beveridge with young people at Middlebeck Amateur Boxing Club in Pallister Park.
PUNCHING ABOVE THEIR WEIGHT
The new boxing ring at Middlebeck ABC is an absolute knock-out – and it’s all down to a double whammy from the Philanthropic Foundation and our patrons The Build Directory. The new amateur boxing club has been set up in the heart of Middlesbrough’s Pallister Park estate, a socially deprived area where boxing is helping to reduce levels of youth offending.
Middlebeck ABC is providing training facilities for young people aged 10 to 18 three nights a week – but they were only able to purchase a boxing ring with the aid of a £1,000 donation from the Foundation and Stockton firm, The Build Directory. Build Directory boss Alisdair Beveridge, himself once a keen amateur boxer, was proud to pay a visit to the Pallister Park facilities after joining forces with us to pay for the ring.
A SOUND PERFORMANCE
The club also received £1,000 through our first ever Sporting Golden Giveaway.
Congratulations to Teesside sound tennis star Rosine Pybus who recently won the singles title at the B4-5 National Championships for the FOURTH successive year!
Our generous patrons Hunters Estate Agents paid a visit to the Sound Tennis club at Tennis World in Middlesbrough to congratulate Rosine and see this amazing sport in action.
Rosine, who has received financial support from our FAST Fund, is part of Tees Valley Sound Tennis club, for the visually impaired.
Hunters staff Stephen McDonald and Laura Bashizadeh are pictured with members of the club - and taking a listen to the specially designed “sound balls” they purchased with our donation.
Ace: Stephen McDonald and Laura Bashizadeh of our patrons Hunters Estate Agents with Rosine Pybus and colleagues from Tees Valley Sound Tennis.
7
WE HAD A BALL
Headline Sponsors: Cool Blue Brand Communications
Co-Sponsors Active Chartered Financial Planners
Entertainment Sponsors Barclays Middlesbrough
Wine Sponsors Devereux Transport
Programme Sponsors Endeavour Partnership
Drinks Reception Sponsors InBond
A record attendance of more than 500 helped the region’s biggest annual charity dinner raise a best ever £77,000 for some of Teesside’s most disadvantaged families.
Other auction items were donated by Psyche, Emirates, Small Luxury Hotels, Wynyard Hall, Porsche Centre Teesside, elite makeup artist Amanda Bell, Charles Clinkard, Lucy Pittaway Gallery, Ramsdens, Paul Gibson Motorsport and Joe Cornish Gallery.
Held in the Grand Marquee at Wynyard Hall, Teesside Philanthropic Foundation’s Charity Ball also kicked off a new fundraising campaign to buy a second caravan to give short breaks to some of the area’s most vulnerable families and children. See page 13 for more details.
Also helping out with auction items were First Choice Labels, Café Lilli, Rockliffe Hall, Castlegate Shopping Centre, Simon and Mel Thompson, Luxury Chauffeuring Services, Cornerstone Business Solutions, Ecco Finishing Supplies, Nick Dent, Yarm Originals, Sylvia Ross, Amanda Hamilton, Judith Baker and Auto Executive.
Two auctions raised £26,500, with a pair of winning bidders each getting a week-long stay in a 12-bed luxury Mallorcan villa for £5,900 each.
A further £5,200 was raised through the sale of 260 raffle tickets priced £20 each with a prize guaranteed every time thanks to the support of dozens of local companies.
DATE FOR YOUR DIARY Next year’s Charity Ball will be held on Friday, 12th October 2018
8
9
LOCAL HEROES
Every month the Foundation presents Teesside Hero awards to unsung community champions – volunteers who go above and beyond the call of duty to help make our region an even better place to live and work. Each of them receives a trophy, a voucher for Mohujo’s restaurant and £1,000 to donate to a Teesside worthy cause of their choice.
Here’s a round-up of the surprise presentations made by our patrons to recent recipients…
TEESSIDE HERO
TEESSIDE HERO
TEESSIDE HEROES
Tony Whitby
Bill Scott
Presented by: Craig Rye (InBond)
Presented by: Emily Bentley and
Graham Fordy, Lee Bramley and Nick Waites
Background: A boxing coach who founded Middlesbrough ABC more than 15 years ago and inspires children as young as nine at the North Ormesby Hub.
Donated £1,000 to: Middlesbrough Amateur Boxing Club
Andy Preston
Background: ”Compassionate entrepreneur” who raised £7,000 by sleeping rough at two CEO Sleepout events and £8,000 for the Foundation via the Great North Run.
Donated £1,000 to: Ingleby Mill Primary shared with High Clarence Primary.
Presented by: Karen Eve (Castlegate Shopping Centre)
Background: Behind-the-scenes volunteer trustees who have given their time to help Colin and Julie Cooper’s charity raise £600,000 for children’s causes.
Donated £1,000 to: Finlay Cooper Fund
TEESSIDE HERO
TEESSIDE HERO
TEESSIDE HERO
Stewart Downing
Alison Tasker
Eddie White
Presented by: Alisdair Beveridge (The
Presented by: Andy Preston
Presented by: Mandi Allen (Hunters
Background: Carries out passionate
Estate Agents)
voluntary work as an ambassador for autism.
Background: Ran a much-loved youth
Build Directory)
Background: Boro star who carries out less heralded community and charity work.
Donated £1,000 to: MFC Foundation
Donated £1,000 to: Rosebrook ASD Hub in Stockton
club for 40 years and has organised a popular Irish dancing session for the last 15 years
Donated £1,000 to: Teesside Hospice shared with Downs Syndrome North East
10
YOU ARE GOLD
Here’s a round-up of just some of the funds we’ve donated through our unique £20,000 Golden Giveaways in recent months – including our first ever Sporting Golden Giveaway. Our patrons Middlesbrough FC hosted the events that saw our patrons present sums ranging from £500 to £5,000 to many of the amazing Teesside community groups and charities.
Our first ever Sporting Golden Giveaway winners.
£20,000 Golden Giveaway
£20,000 Sporting Golden Giveaway
•
Ken Devereux (Devereux Transport and Distribution) presented £5,000 to Blue Light Babies.
•
Emma Simkins of Henderson Insurance Brokers presented £2,500 to Remembering Rebecca.
•
Bill Scott presented £2,000 to Teesside Samaritans.
•
Sue Theobald (Barclays) presented £1,500 to South Tees NHS Therapeutic Care.
•
•
Yvonne Ferguson (Middlesbrough FC) presented £1,500 to My Sister’s Place. Jayne Stephenson presented £1,000 to Age UK Teesside.
Keith Miller (Ecco Finishing Supplies) presented £2,000 to Loftus Dolphins Swimming Club and £1,000 to Tees Valley Sound Tennis.
•
Chantal Taylor of Castlegate Shopping Centre presented £1,500 to Submit 2 Success and £500 to Stockton West End FC.
•
Shaun Hughes (Erimus Insurance Brokers) presented
• •
•
Personal patron Ian Stark presented £750 to Labyrinth Café in Stockton and £500 to Cleveland Women’s Network. Ruth Conner of Active Chartered Financial Planners presented £750 to The Trinity Holistic Centre and £500 to 1 Hart 1 Mind 1 Future.
•
Dave Nicholson (Nicholson Group) presented £5,000 to Tees Valley Gymnastics Club and £500 to Golden Zumba at Hand in Hand Activities.
•
Taraha Johnson (RMB Auto) presented £2,500 to Guisborough Rugby Club.
£1,000 to Hartlepool Headland Boxing Gymn and £500 to Thornaby Amateur Swimming Club. •
Alisdair Beveridge (The Build Directory) presented £750 to both Tees Valley Wheelchair Sports Club and Middlesbrough Sportability Club.
•
Teesside Centurion Doug Moody presented £750 to Thornaby Youth Zone.
From left: Emma Simkins with Remembering Rebecca representatives. ; Giveaway winners celebrate. ; Dave Nicholson with Tees Valley Gymnastics Club winners.
11
Pictures: Doug Moody
50,000
REASONS TO CELEBRATE
Some of Teesside’s finest young sporting talents celebrated a £50,000 milestone for the Philanthropic Foundation’s FAST Fund when they gathered at Middlesbrough Sports Village. Our FAST Fund has shared £50,000 in grants between 50 local sportspeople who have the talent but not necessarily the finances to reach the top in their chosen sport. Over the past two years The FAST Fund – which stands for Financial Assistance for Sportspeople on Teesside – has made much-needed grant donations to athletes, swimmers, cyclists, powerchair footballers, boxers, canoeists, rugby players, ice hockey players, martial artists, footballers, wheelchair basketball players and many more. Teesside’s three-times Olympic long jumper Chris Tomlinson sits on a committee who administrate the FAST Fund grants along with athletics coach Rick Betts and Philanthropic Foundation trustees Emma Simkins, Karl Pemberton, Harriet Spalding and Lee Bramley
The FAST Fund is now looking for more FAST Fund applications ahead of the next deadline in May 2018. For more details visit www.fastfund.org.uk.
More FAST funding The latest FAST Fund grants have been awarded to: •
Adam Harrison (ice hockey and ball hockey) - £1,000.
•
Emily Clark-Attwood (dressage) - £500.
•
Hannah Segrave (athlete) - £1,000.
•
Josh Young (badminton) - £1,000.
•
Joshua Allen (athlete) - £1,000.
•
Melody Jones (swimmer) - £500.
•
Erin Donnelly (swimmer) - £250.
•
Michael Webster (boxing) - £500.
•
Ben and Betty Bergstrand (cross-country running) - £500 and £200.
“The FAST Fund grant has been a massive help to me, helping to pay for ongoing physiotherapy costs. I’m certain I wouldn’t have achieved what I have done without it,” – athlete Amy Carr. “The FAST Fund’s help has made a big impact on my running. There’s no way I’d have been able to get top-of-the-range running shoes without the grant,” – distance runner Josh Cowperthwaite. “The FAST Fund is absolutely brilliant. The sound balls I train with are imported from Japan but quickly break up, so the cost soon mounts up at £10 each. My grant really helped with a big cost,” – sound tennis champion Rosine Pybus. From left: Boxer Sophie Haw. ; BMX champ Mary Johnson. ; Sound tennis star Rosine Pybus. ; Karl Pemberton with athlete Amy Carr.
12
Former Boro star Colin Cooper (centre) with Ken Devereux of Devereux Transport (left) and the Finlay Cooper Fund’s Graham Fordy at the new caravan.
THE CARAVAN OF LOVE 2
We’ve joined forces with another popular local charity, the Finlay Cooper Fund, and several local companies to fund a caravan to provide short breaks for some of the region’s most disadvantaged children and their families. The Finlay Cooper Fund, the charity set up by former Boro star Colin Cooper and his wife Julie, has donated £35,000 to the Foundation towards the purchase and running costs of the eightberth caravan near Filey. Combined with a further £20,000 donated by a range of Teesside organisations and individuals, the Foundation has been able to purchase a new caravan and has the funds to run it for the next two years.
Former Boro star Cooper, who launched the Finlay Cooper Fund with wife Julie in memory of their son who died in a choking accident shortly before his second birthday, said: “We’d been looking for the right scheme to support – and this one is an inspiring idea that’s making a real impact for Teesside kids who most need a helping hand.”
Breaks at our second caravan are being made possible thanks to generous contributions by: Devereux Transport and Distribution Mandale Group Erimus Insurance Brokers AV Dawson PX Group
It means we’re now running two caravans at Reighton Sands to bring joy to some of Teesside’s least privileged children and families, giving them short breaks that would normally be beyond their financial reach.
WE’RE CHANGING LIVES
Six young Teesside people are learning new skills after starting apprenticeships made possible by a £137,000 donation by the Foundation. Our charity is fully funding five construction apprenticeships and one in housing administration at Community Campus ’87, a Teesside social enterprise dedicated to converting disused properties into houses for the homeless.
Active Chartered Financial Planners
Graham and Kerry Sizer Andy and Lizzie Preston CJ Leonard & Sons IWS Gaffney Durata UK Parker Barras Boro Walkers Association Paul Gibson
Ian and Adrienne Stark
The apprentices we’re supporting are 19-year-olds Sam Kenny and Joel Pickford, 20-year-old Jack Milburn, Shannon Bell , 18, Martin Jones, 24, and 16-year-old James Welsh. Foundation patron Jayne Stephenson is pictured with some of the apprentices at a Stockton property they are helping to convert into a house for the homeless.
Simon Virth, service manager for Community Campus, said: “These apprenticeships simply wouldn’t exist without the Philanthropic Foundation’s funding. “The funding has created opportunities for these young people, giving them a trade and hopefully creating long-term jobs for them – without doubt the Foundation’s support is life-changing.” The £137,000 was part of a major donation received from an anonymous donor, thanks to the help of our patrons PX Group.
13
Patron Barney Ord
MEET OUR PATRONS Barney Ord
Keith Miller - Ecco Finishing Supplies
Why do you support the Foundation?
What does your organisation do?
I was very keen on a fantastic Middlesbrough-based charity called the Fairbridge Trust that was then taken over by the Prince’s Trust. I got involved with the Philanthropic Foundation early on because I felt it had picked up the mantle previously carried by Fairbridge of looking out for the too-often-forgotten of Teesside – the underprivileged and the neglected. They are people who sometimes nobody seems to care about, but I’m proud to be part of an organisation and a team of local people and businesses that not only cares about them but takes positive action to help them.
We supply shot blasting, spray painting and specialist application equipment to customers all over the world but also locally to the likes of Wilton Engineering and Nissan. We’re growing in the Middle East too after a tough first two years, while our Darlington-based recruitment business, KMS Partners, is going great guns.
Which of our fundraising events has been your personal favourite? I honestly think our Annual Ball is not only a highlight in my year but has become the number one social event in Teesside’s calendar. It’s a fantastic night – and the fundraising activities around it are amazing.
Which organisation are you most proud or pleased that we’ve supported? Not one specific organisation but what does please me is anything we do for people who are disabled. It’s too easy to forget about them, but there are some wonderful local organisations around such as Middlesbrough Powerchair Football Club and Tees Valley Wheelchair Basketball Club providing them with great opportunities. Of course, those opportunities need quite expensive equipment, so I’m pleased that we help to fund them.
Can you tell us something your fellow Foundation supporters might not know about you personally? Although I’m proud of Teesside, of our town and I’m a Boro supporter, I was actually born in Leeds. I’m a true Teessider now and feel totally at home here but most people think I’m from here. But I’m a great believer in our town and our area and I’m very proud of it.
14
Patron Keith Miller of Ecco Finishing Supplies
Why do you support the Foundation? Because it’s local, because of the people involved and because of the things it does. I think it’s fantastic. I recently sat in a coffee shop in the Emirates and told our sponsor out there all about the charity and gave him a copy of this magazine. He was amazed. And we had customers over from South Korea the other week and I took them to the Fork in the Road for lunch. Again, they were amazed.
Which of our fundraising events has been your personal favourite? The thing that sticks in my mind is the first ever CEO Sleepout at the Riverside Stadium because that is a special event – and I plan to do it again in 2018. I missed the Annual Ball this year because I was out of the country but I’ll be taking a table in 2018 for definite. For me, that’s the biggest event in the calendar next year. It’s a night everybody looks forward to and there’s just a great atmosphere.
Which organisation are you most proud or pleased that we’ve supported? Where do you start? Every time you hand a cheque out you feel as proud as punch. Every cause is deserving. I couldn’t pick just one.
Can you tell us something your fellow Foundation supporters might not know about you personally? I used to race motor bikes and would travel all over the country with my best mate to race 350cc Yamahas. I absolutely loved it but then I had a very nasty accident that made me give up. I never raced again after that.
Patron Graham Sizer (left) presents a Teesside Hero Award to Stephen Sherlock
Patron Bill Scott
MEET OUR PATRONS
Graham Sizer
Bill Scott
Why do you support the Foundation?
Why do you support the Foundation?
I first got involved because Andy Preston was a friend of mine and I thought it was a great thing he was doing to set up a charity like this. Andy was keen for the charity to create apprenticeships for local people. I run care homes from a Yarm HQ and we’d worked with apprentices before, so I agreed to provide the funding for one apprentice a year for a five-year period.
Because it supports charitable organisations and people in need on Teesside. I’m from Teesside, I’m passionate about Teesside and I want to help Teesside. This is the easiest route to do that.
Which of our fundraising events has been your personal favourite? I’ve been to a couple of the Balls, and I thought this year’s was really good. It was fantastic to see people respond to the appeal to raise the funds for a second caravan, and I was delighted to be among them. I’ve always meant to take part in CEO Sleepout too, as I’d like to try to understand what someone goes through who has to sleep rough.
Which organisation are you most proud or pleased that we’ve supported? Definitely the apprenticeships that have been supported because I am a great believer in them. If you‘ve left school without perhaps the greatest education, then it’s a real chance to learn a skill and go on to apply that to create a job and a living for yourself. I like the fact that it’s more of a self-start than a hand-out.
Can you tell us something your fellow Foundation supporters might not know about you personally? Well, I’m a soft southerner, so I’m not a Boro fan but a Spurs fan. I moved to the region at the turn of the millennium and have lived in North Yorkshire for 17 or 18 years now. I liked the area and decided to stay on, and we run my business from the region too.
Which of our fundraising events has been your personal favourite? There’s been so many but the one that comes to mind is the very first CEO Sleepout, which the Foundation organised. I didn’t really know what to expect. I guessed it would be cold – and it was bitterly cold. I stayed awake all night, not sleeping for one minute, and reflected on what I was going to be doing the next day – going home to have a bath, going to work then enjoying 10-pin bowling and a birthday party. Then it dawned on me that, if I was sleeping rough for real, there’d be nothing to look forward to – no bath, no food, nothing. It rammed home the importance of what the charity is all about.
Which organisation are you most proud or pleased that we’ve supported? There’s so many so that’s really difficult but some of the smaller things stick with me – such as the family that needed bunk beds so fast-growing boys didn’t have to share a single bed. I’m a big believer in helping disadvantaged young kids, whether that be financially or by trying to inspire them. There’s poverty on our doorstep and that needs to be dealt with.
Can you tell us something your fellow Foundation supporters might not know about you personally? I used to be a super Northern Soul dancer. I used to spin on the floor and do all these bizarre moves to try to impress the girls but I eventually realised it was putting them right off!
15
Our Patrons The generosity and commitment of the Foundation’s Trustees and Patrons is helping to shine a spotlight on Teesside for all the right reasons - from willingness to give, to the strength of our private sector and the area’s ambitions for a more positive future. Thank you to every one of them.
Our Trustees
Registered Charity Number 1140740