Local woman attends Lloyd’s Foundation event

Gay Sherry-Bingham (left) from Atlas Womens Centre in Lisburn with Sandara Kelso-Robb, Executive Director of Lloyds Bank Foundation for Northern Ireland at an event to recognise the Foundations 30 years of Corporate Philanthropy.

Entitled ‘Celebrating the Past, Understanding the Future: 30 years of Foundation Philanthropy’ it was one of the key events of Philanthropy Fortnight, NI’s biggest celebration of giving.

The information gathering event at the MAC in Belfast brought together six organisations from five areas – Community Arts, Mental Health, Women’s Groups, Sports and Early Years.

Sandara Kelso-Robb, Executive Director of Lloyds Bank Foundation for NI, said feedback would be very useful in planning for the future.

She said: “The discussions looked at issues such as the difficulties of securing funding and the current challenges faced by organisations in the voluntary and community sector.”

During the event, Ms Kelso-Robb also launched the new Charity Achievement Awards, which celebrate 30 years of vital work helping deprived communities.

She said: “Since the launch in 1985 the foundations have distributed over £575m to charities in communities across the UK helping to tackle disadvantage.”

Ms Kelso-Robb said a prize fund of £86,000 will be awarded as unrestricted grants of between £1000 - £2000 to outstanding charities funded by Foundations from England, Wales, NI and the Channel Islands.”