St David’s Day in London Dinner in support of the Wales in London Philanthropic Fund
This year’s St David’s Day in London Dinner, at Guildhall, City of London, was held in support of the Wales in London Philanthropic Fund at the Community Foundation in Wales. With a range of guest Welsh speakers, and musicians and singers from Welsh National Opera, the evening upheld a strong tradition of St David’s Day celebrations in the heart of London.
The Community Foundation in Wales began working alongside Wales in London in March 2015, with the establishment of the Wales in London Philanthropic Fund. The Fund supports ambitious Welsh young people in the pursuit of their professional and educational goals. This very special evening was the latest in a sequence of exciting boosts to the Fund’s profile, inviting people with strong connections to Wales to give back to create the same opportunities that may have benefited them.
Following guest speeches from Wales international rugby player Jamie Roberts, and Robert Buckland QC MP, Liza Kellett, Chief Executive of the Community Foundation in Wales, spoke about the value of setting an example of giving back, and encouraging others to do so.
“We walk alongside many donors who want to help young people, and when I chat with some of those 100 or so students we support each year with scholarships – from hairdressing apprentices to Masters degree students – I’m always struck by the fact that it is recognition, of being deemed worthy of someone’s else’s interest, that is just as important as the financial element in helping them to achieve their goals.
Many of us have been fortunate enough to have a parent, a sponsor, or a mentor walking alongside US.
This is the underlying motivation of the Wales in London Philanthropic Fund – to support enterprising and ambitious Welsh young people to pursue their dreams.
And following your example in giving now, we hope to encourage them to then give back themselves.”
The Wales in London Philanthropic Fund is a unique Fund managed by the Community Foundation in Wales, and is an example of the impact that can be made when a corporate body or membership organisation chooses to direct their giving through the Foundation’s bespoke philanthropy services.
The Fund currently stands at £50,000, with a long-term ambition of building a large endowment to fund annual bursaries and scholarships. All donations into the Fund (until May 2016), will be matched into the Fund for Wales, thanks to the Big Lottery Fund for Wales Match Challenge, doubling the impact of gifts and supporting community projects across Wales as well as the Fund’s focus on individual scholarships.
