The Albert Burns Children’s Trust Fund has awarded £3,000 to Headway Kent Ltd, a charity which supports young people with an acquired brain injury.
The Albert Burns Children’s Trust Fund, one of the ninety philanthropic funds administered by Kent Community Foundation, has this month announced funding totalling £47,500 for eight grassroots organisations. One of the beneficiaries of the latest funding is Headway Kent Ltd, which received a grant of £3,000 to support carers in Thanet who look after young people with acquired brain injuries.
Headway Kent Ltd explained in their funding application that they are often the first point of contact when a carer is in crisis. They take calls from distressed carers who feel they cannot go on anymore and are sometimes asked by carers if they can drop their loved ones off, as they just can’t cope. The funding from The Albert Burns Children’s Trust Fund will be used to run vital carer support groups which will hope to avoid reaching crisis point or family breakdown and prevent or reduce the need for NHS or Social Services support.
Jenny Walsh, Chief Executive Officer, Headway said, “The unsung heroes for acquired brain injury survivors are their carers and family members. Many carers reach breaking and crisis point as they try to cope alone. Without carers, many survivors would, remain in or be readmitted to hospital, need extensive social services interventions, and help from other statutory services. As we are often the first point of contact when a carer is in crisis, we applied for funding to provide a weekly support group in Thanet. The support group will be facilitated by a counsellor to avoid crisis point and family breakdown and prevent or reduce the need for NHS or Social Services support. The new group will offer a safe space to share experiences, understand acquired brain injury, learn coping mechanisms, and understand the new identity their loved one now has.”
Richard Durrant, Partner at Boys & Maughan Solicitors and one of the Albert Burns trustees said, “We are delighted to have been working with Kent Community Foundation since 2014 to distribute funds from Thanet philanthropist and businessman Albert Burns who left instructions in his Will for us to create a legacy for children. Under the direction of Kent Community Foundation, we established a significant legacy fund in his name, that will continue to benefit local communities in Thanet for years to come. Working with their experienced grant making team allows the Albert Burns Children’s Trust Fund, to reach many more Kent children’s charities than would have been possible if we had attempted to manage the trust independently.”
Natalie Smith, Director of Grants and Impact and Deputy Chief Executive Kent Community Foundation said, “Since 2014 the Albert Burns Children’s Trust Fund has distributed over £368,000 to good causes in Thanet. This month the Fund has supported applications from, Cliftonville Cultural Space, Millmead Children’s Centre Partnership Ltd, Porchlight, Foreland Fields Charity, Mama to Mama, Thanet Disabled Riding Centre and The Margate School as well as Headway Kent Ltd with funding of £47,500. Philanthropic funds like this are critical to ensuring a strong and stable voluntary sector in Kent and on behalf of the organisations may I say a huge thank you to the Albert Burns Children’s Trust Fund and all the other funds we manage for their continued and valuable support.”
To find out how Kent Community Foundation can direct your charitable giving email Amy Nash amy@kentcf.org.uk
Funding from the Albert Burns Children’s Trust Fund in November supported the following projects.
Cliftonville Cultural Space received £5,000 for free rap music workshops for children and young people.
Millmead Children’s Centre Partnership Ltd, received £11,500 for the replacement or renovation of specialist, external flooring within the nursery.
Porchlight received £7,500 to support marginalised and disadvantaged young people experiencing or at risk of mental illness, social alienation, homelessness, exploitation and abuse.
Foreland Fields Charity was awarded £7,250 to create a sensory garden.
Mama to Mama, was awarded £5,000 for their core costs to deliver the winter newborn project.
Thanet Disabled Riding Centre was awarded £4,200 for the construction and delivery of a portable/moveable wheelchair ramp to assist children and adults to mount ponies.
The Margate School was awarded £2,250 to introduce children to creative technology.
Headway Kent Ltd received £3,000 for carer support groups.
About Headway Kent Ltd
Established in 1989, Headway Kent is a registered charity supporting young people with an Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) and their families/carers. They provide person centered social rehabilitation in the community, assisting with the individual’s recovery journey, mentally, physically, educationally, economically; whilst reducing social isolation and loneliness that can occur following an ABI. In Community Hubs in Thanet, Canterbury, Folkestone and Hythe, and Ashford, they provide structured group activities such as gardening, art therapy and social clubs. Community Link workers provide a more bespoke service for individuals who do not wish to attend Community Hubs and they will work with a tailored 1-2-1 plan to help individuals achieve their goals. Qualified counsellors provide counselling specifically adapted for brain injured clients.
www.headway.org.uk/supporting-you/in-your-area/groups-and-branches/south-east/headway-kent
About the Albert Burns Children’s Trust Fund
Thanet businessman and philanthropist Albert Burns left instructions in his Will for his legal advisors Boys & Maughan Solicitors to create a legacy for children. He particularly wanted to support smaller charities that don’t have the resources of the larger children’s charities. Boys & Maughan Solicitors work with Kent Community Foundation who manage the grant-making on their behalf and direct funding to local children’s groups and charities where it will make a significant impact locally. Since the Fund was established in 2014 it has distributed over £368,000.
About Kent Community Foundation
Grant-maker Kent Community Foundation has been finding, funding, and supporting some of the smallest voluntary organisations in the county for over twenty one years. In this time, it has distributed almost £55 million to support thousands of small charities and deserving causes where a modest sum of money can make a significant impact.
They are part of a UK wide accredited network of forty-seven Community Foundations who are committed to improving the lives of local people and communities, particularly the most vulnerable, isolated, and disadvantaged by matching those who want to help, with those who need the help.
Responsible for more than ninety philanthropic funds, Kent Community Foundation is unrivalled in its knowledge of local causes and assists individuals, families, and businesses, who want to help, to establish and administer their own charitable funds.
