Charity begins at home: Leeds Community Foundation’s 100 Club event takes place at aql Leeds
The Leeds Community Foundation (LCF) brought their quarterly meeting of the 100 Club to the aql conference auditorium in Leeds on Thursday 16 May 2013.
The 100 Club, a patronage scheme in which members pledge £1,000 per year, underpins the core running costs of the foundation and helps to support the work it does with local community groups. The group met at aql’s Salem Church venue as guests of 100 Club member and CEO of aql, Dr Adam Beaumont.
100 Club events update members on the various worthwhile causes working in Leeds and how the LCF aids them in enriching the lives of people living in the city’s most impoverished communities.
This event focused on causes supported by Jimbo’s East Leeds Enterprise Fund, a fund set up by Yorkshire entrepreneur, the late Jimi Heselden OBE
with an initial donation of £10million and subsequent top-ups of similar amounts. The fund distributes grants to help local people to gain confidence, skills and work experience. Jimi wanted the fund to be a ‘hand up, not a hand-out’ and to help people help themselves in a sustainable way.
After an introduction by Dr Adam Beaumont the 100 Club members heard a talk on Jimbo’s Enterprise fund by Sally Anne Greenfield, Chief Executive of the LCF. Keith Gibson, a trustee of Canopy, explained that through the 100 Club’s support his organisation helps people to create their own homes, giving them a sense of accomplishment, confidence and pride in their community. The scheme employs local contractors to create smarter, greener houses which (for example) use innovative insulation and heat reclaiming technology to make them affordable to run, again with the focus on support in a sustainable manner.
During his introduction to the event, Adam said “I joined the 100 club because I saw their model as a really effective catalyst – the use of their resources to help those in need find their way towards many avenues of grant funding or other community support schemes. This felt to me like a very effective way to make an impact to those who are struggling.“
He urged “The ethos of the 100 club is for support from individuals but clearly business is part of it. There are quite a few members of the foundation who are partners in businesses such as law firms and accountants. Please take the 100 club message back to those partners and join them up!”
After hearing about the work currently being done the 100 Club members took to the aql’s bar area for drinks, canapés and a chance to network.
“It was fantastic to be at aql and Adam did a sterling job of supporting us which is so important,” said Amanda Bennett, LCF Events and Donor Relations Manager.
Our 100 Club members are exceptional men and women who have drive and passion for making Leeds a better city to live in. The 100 Club provides an easy way for them to show they care and allows us to continue to transform communities across the city.
“We are very proud to announce that since 2005 we have given 18.5 million in Leeds to benefit local people and we couldn’t have done this without our 100 Club members.”
