News from the Community Foundation in Wales
Minister praises supporters of the Community
Foundation in Wales at House of Lords
Chairman Kim Brook (front row, third from right), with Chief Executive Liza Kellett (front row, second from right) and Trustees, supporters and MPs at the House of Lords Reception hosted by Baroness Prashar.
Supporters of the Community Foundation in Wales joined over four hundred MPs, Peers, local charitable groups and donors at a special reception in the House of Lords on 31st March to celebrate the growing success of the Community Foundation Network (CFN).
The Network, which nationally made over £75 million in grants to local charities last year, including £1 million in Wales, exists to connect those with money with dynamic local organisations whose ability to change lives is only inhibited by a lack of money.
Addressing the reception, Minister for the Third Sector, Phil Hope MP, said:
“Thank you for the great work that so many Community Foundations do in supporting communities, helping the disadvantaged and encouraging a culture of charitable giving.”
Liza Kellett, Chief Executive of the Community Foundation in Wales, explained:
“This was a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the work of Community Foundations, and to have that work acknowledged by the Minister and our MPs. Our guests were delighted to hear more about the Network, which is the fifth largest funder in the UK. With six new funds established in the last six months and ambitious plans for our growth testifying to our success, I urge anyone who is thinking of supporting those who are working so hard to transform Wales for the better, to contact us. We will be delighted to help them make the most of their charitable giving to ensure it has a real impact, as many hundreds have done before.”
New Appointment and Triple Victory
for Community Foundation in Wales
Wales’s Community Foundation is celebrating a triple victory as it moves into a development and growth period having appointed a new Chief Executive. Chairman Kim Brook, who has successfully steered the Foundation through its consolidation stage, announces, “We have: surpassed our target of a £1 million endowment fund for the communities of Wales; achieved an extremely demanding quality accreditation status which is endorsed by the Charity Commission; and worked with our first international donor supporting an excellent project for young people in Swansea. Now I’m delighted to welcome Liza Kellett as our new Chief Executive, knowing that she has the energy, vision and skills to lead our growth.”
After her first week in post, Liza comments, “Having already visited several trail-blazing projects that have benefited from grants from the Community Foundation, it’s clear that my first priority is to grow our funds and to channel even more support to these inspirational groups who are doing so much with, and for, their local communities.”
“Of equal importance is the need to demonstrate to our existing and potential donors just what an impact their generosity can achieve if it is well-directed at those groups who have the energy and passion to make a difference. Our commitment at The Community Foundation in Wales is to give our donors the immense satisfaction of knowing how valuable their contributions have been. Donors and recipients attest to the fact that our grant-making is imaginative, flexible and free of red-tape; and we pride ourselves on creating a supportive relationship with our beneficiaries.”
Liza, who has moved to Cardiff from Yorkshire to take up this position, will be building on her consultancy and trustee experiences, as well as skills gained as Head of Development at West Yorkshire Playhouse and Chief Executive of homeless charity Emmaus Leeds.
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