CHICKS is one of the Ashfords Foundation’s first major grants

The Ashfords Foundation has awarded a significant grant to children's charity CHICKS. The Devon-based charity provides free respite breaks to children aged 8-17 years who would really benefit from a break from their challenging home lives.

CHICKS believe every child has the right to make positive childhood memories and since 1992, the charity has provided over 16,00 children with a much-needed break. A CHICKS break inspires new confidence and gives children the opportunity to have fun, try new experiences and relax out of their usual inner city environments. More than anything, it gives them the chance to just be children.

The grant of £15,120 over three years will help provide young people with the opportunity to spend a week at CHICKS, boost their confidence and make new friends.

Caroline Burkie, Director of Fundraising and Development of CHICKS said: “Raising the vital funds to provide the most vulnerable and deprived children living in the South West and the UK with much needed respite breaks is a huge task. We are therefore thrilled that the Ashfords Foundation has chosen to support CHICKS. Thanks to this amazing generosity, five young people every year, for the next three years will be given the opportunity to develop their confidence, make new friendships and take home lifelong, happy memories. We are incredibly grateful for their support.”

The Ashfords Foundation has been established with very clearly defined objectives to support smaller charities and community organisations through two grant programmes: Supporting Communities and Preserving Communities. The first offers one off grants of up to £750, while the second supports established charities and not-for-profit organisations develop a solid foundation for the future, helping them build sustainability for the long term with grants of up to £5k. In each case, the project for which funding is sought should be local to one of Ashfords’ offices in Exeter, Bristol, London, Plymouth, Tiverton and Taunton. Further details are on the Foundation’s website: www.ashfordsfoundation.org.uk

Chair of Trustees, John Toth, said: “Both Ashfords’ Charity of the Year and the firm’s existing CSR programme have been very successful, and partners and staff at Ashfords have been fully engaged in both, as well as in wider charitable fund raising. It is that very success that led us to look more closely at how the firm might make a real difference in the communities in which we live and work, bringing together all of Ashfords' charitable giving as well as building a sense of common purpose among our people. The result was the establishment of the Foundation.”

The Ashfords Foundation
www.ashfordsfoundation.org.uk