The John Sykes Foundation, founded in 2014, has been benefitting Reading-based charities and organisations along with their service users since the start of the Covid-19 Pandemic. The scheme, called the Covid-19 Relief Fund, was launched in June 2021 to help those groups who found it difficult to raise vital funds during the pandemic.
John Sykes, Founder and Chair of Trustees, explained, “When the pandemic struck, we recognised the devastating impact this was going to have on our community, and we wanted to help.
“Many charities were losing their revenue income with their services not being delivered face-to-face or important fundraising events not being held, as well as the number of service users increasing.”
The Foundation created a unique fund for local organisations to apply for a grant, initially open for one year, but due to its demand was extended until 31st December 2022. A total of £50,000 was allocated to the Fund, with there being no set limit on each grant amount – to help as many organisations as possible, each was envisaged as being £1,000.
Mr Sykes said: “We were overwhelmed by the response and the diversity of the applications. Our Foundation was established to assist charities and organisations within a five-mile radius of Reading, and we are extremely proud to have been able to help those groups who required vital funding across various sectors.
“The Foundation’s key objective is to improve the lives and well-being of individuals and communities within the town where there is an element of disadvantage.
“I am hugely passionate and proud of Reading, the community spirit has always been such a great source of inspiration for me, and I am very humbled by the work that is carried out by Reading’s charities, many of which are run entirely by volunteers, and the amount of time and dedication they put into supporting the local community.
“They offer a valuable lifeline to so many in our community, including people who may have a learning disability, those who require a safe space to go for advice or friendship, and families who are struggling financially, not just at Christmas, but all year round.”
“I am looking forward to forging long-lasting relationships with the charities that we have awarded grants to from our Fund, and we are now working alongside a number of charities further to help deliver services in our community.”
We are delighted to share a round-up of some of those charities and organisations who were gifted a COVID-19 Relief Fund grant from the Foundation.
Reading Association for the Blind
The first successful recipient of a COVID-19 Relief Fund grant was awarded to Reading Association for the Blind (RAB), based at Walford Hall on Carey Street. The Charity applied for funding to continue to run its outreach service which aims to assist those with sight loss to build the confidence needed to live an independent and meaningful life.
Matthew Thomas, Fundraiser at RAB said, “This is an emotional and distressing time for many and requires a high number of hours of support. It will also help towards the cost of transporting those with sight loss to our Community Hall, where they will be able to socialise and build relationships with those in a similar position.”
No5 Young People for Mental Health
The Foundation were delighted to donate a Covid-19 Relief Fund Grant to No5 Young People in June 2021, which was utilised towards the charity’s 50th Anniversary project.
It provides free, confidential, and professional counselling and outreach to children and young people aged 11-25 suffering mental distress in the Reading area. They invited four young people on the counselling waiting list not assessed as critical – and therefore likely to wait the longest – to take part.
Carly Newman, Operations & Relationships Manager at No5, commented, “Without any support, these young people would be disadvantaged further, their symptoms likely to worsen, and wellbeing deteriorate.”
Whitley Amateur Boxing Club
Whitley Amateur Boxing Club is a charity established in 2015 by former professional boxer Nathan Ward, himself from Whitley. He strives to give back to his community by teaching kids the noble art of boxing and simultaneously doing his utmost to guard young kids from gangs and crime by keeping them off the streets and giving them a safe environment to learn the sport alongside respect and self-discipline.
Although the club was fighting to raise funds to enable them to secure a home for the boxing club and for the young people of Whitley both now and for the generations coming through, they also required essential equipment, including a new canvas for the ring which due to the Covid-19 Relief Fund has now been fitted.
Nathan said: “The gym keeps me sane, and seeing the kids winning and enjoying themselves puts a smile on my face, because most of the children who come to the club are not expected to achieve great things.
“When I first started the club, people said I was mad because of its location, but myself and the other coaches are just trying to do our bit to give back.
“Thank you for all of your help.”
Coley Park Community Association (CPCA)
CPCA was awarded a COVID-19 Relief Fund grant in August 2021. The Charity, based at the Community Centre on Wensley Road in Coley, serves as the designated area for various opportunities for locals.
Kirsty Charge, Chair & Trustee of Coley Park Community Association, said: “Over the past 18 months many people have been isolated and withdrawn
from society, and had a real lack of engagement.
“The Association applied for a grant from the John Sykes Foundation to be used to create two events that will encourage people to get together and enjoy each other’s company in a fun setting.”
The Foundation were delighted to receive an update from Kirsty who advised that residents in Coley came together and spent a day at the beach; great fun was had by all with families sharing quality time building sandcastles and paddling in the sea.
Thames Valley Positive Support
Thames Valley Positive Support was the fifth recipient. The Charity provides emotional and practical support to those living with (or affected by) HIV in Berkshire. Running since 1985, they support over 700 clients, 300 of which are residents of Reading.
The grant, which was presented to Sarah Macadam, CEO of Thames Valley Positive Support, at The Warehouse on Cumberland Road, has been used to restart the weekly drop-in coffee morning sessions. These provide a safe haven for people to socialise, as well as being able to receive both one-to-one and peer support.
Berkshire Multiple Sclerosis (MS) Therapy Centre
Berkshire MS Therapy Centre received a donation of £1,000 to restart Oxygen Treatment, a vital service used by the Centre’s members to aid in their treatment.
The Centre supports the health and wellbeing of local people with Multiple Sclerosis (MS) through specialist therapies, including exercise sessions, oxygen treatment, and counselling. They also give people with MS a chance to meet and support one another, helping to reduce loneliness and isolation.
Samantha Harper, Fundraising Manager, added, “The grant provided by the John Sykes Foundation will go towards providing oxygen treatment which had to be stopped for much of the pandemic.
“The grant has allowed us to cover the cost of running sessions which cannot be run at capacity due to Covid restrictions.”
Dingley’s Promise
Dingley’s Promise successfully applied for a grant in June. The Charity supports 60 children aged three months to five years with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities as well as their parents/carers each year.
The donation from the John Sykes Foundation was used to fund 12 weeks of sensory activities.
Catherine McLeod said: “The donation provided sensory resources to fund sensory activities at the Reading Centre, including sensory story massage, sensory circuits, cooking, sensory arts and crafts, alongside holding workshops for parents/carers to improve their understanding of sensory difficulties in children with SEND and to practice strategies and techniques to support their child’s sensory wellbeing at home.”
The Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice
The Sue Ryder Duchess of Kent Hospice on Liebenrood Road, which provides expert palliative care and support to people living with terminal illnesses, along with offering support for families, applied for funding to improve patient experience in the hospice.
Laura Kell of Sue Ryder’s Fundrasing Team explained, “As with many charities, fundraising has become increasingly difficult for us during the coronavirus pandemic.
“We’re so grateful for this generous grant from the John Sykes Foundation which will help us to continue to improve our patient experience better, in particular for dementia patients.”
The Rising Sun Arts Centre
The very popular Arts Centre on Silver Street was presented with a cheque of £1,000 by the Covid-19 Relief Fund in November 2021 to assist in their fundraising project to install a new ventilation system to the Centre to provide a safe space for volunteers and the public.
Larry Watson, Manager of the Centre, explained, “This grant from the John Sykes Foundation has been a morale boost and re-energised our volunteer fundraising team, putting us within an achievable distance of our target.”
The Rising Sun team reached their target of £10,000, and opened up their doors safely to the public.
Brookfields SEN School
Brookfields SEN School is a maintained special school which offers an ‘Outstanding’ (Ofsted September 2019) education to 226 pupils of which have a learning difficulty and/or additional needs.
Due to Covid-19, Brookfields kept pupils and staff in very limited areas of the school, meaning many classes and activities were temporarily side-lined, pottery included. Unfortunately, this meant that the pottery kiln was inactive for a long period and required servicing, which the school were unable to fund.
“Bringing pottery back to life will make an enormous difference to our students. Servicing the kiln will transform unfired bone-dry clay from its fragile state to a porous and durable state, which allows one to safely do decorative work, apply underglazes and glazes on the piece without damaging or cracking it, and then glaze after firing” explained Charlotte Wilshire, Fundraiser at Brookfields.
The John Sykes Foundation donated the grant not only for the servicing of the kiln, but also to purchase a number of supplies.
Sadaka
Sadaka, a volunteer-led local charity, benefits disadvantaged residents of Reading by relieving food poverty, reducing social isolation, improving mental health, and changing living conditions.
Zobia Kalim, Treasurer at Sadaka, commented, “Our service users are local people of Reading, with a wide range of underprivileged backgrounds. Many are homeless and live on the streets or in temporary accommodation.”
Residents are served from Fairview Community Centre on Great Knollys Street every Saturday, without prejudice or bias, by serving 60-70 hot meals at a sit-down service and take-away food bags.
The £1,000 donation was used to purchase ingredients.
Enrych Berkshire
Enrych Berkshire were 2022’s first recipient of a grant from the Foundation. The charity, based in Reading since 2008, assists disabled adults to access their own chosen leisure and learning activities through a friendly partnership with a like-minded volunteer.
Martin Jeffery, Chair & Treasurer, said: “Fundraising has been severely curtailed. We have made many applications to trusts and foundations in the last year but have not been successful, mainly because of the enormous increase (sometimes 300%) in the number of applications they are now receiving.”
Whitley Community Development Association
Better known as “WCDA,” the Whitley Community Development Association was awarded a £1,000 grant from the Fund to create a new group called the “Men’s Shed,” which will allow participants to exchange and gain skills, share life experiences, and communicate how they have been affected by events and circumstances they have found themselves in.
Imke Wilson, Vice Chair of Trustees of WCDA, said: “The grant will be used to provide a safe and warm environment for 12 weeks.”
The Engine Shed
The Engine Shed have been running since 2010 and are a special interest group for autistic children, young people, and adults with an enthusiasm for trains and railways. The organisation applied for a grant to raise necessary funds for a new van to continue to deliver the Reading sessions and to meet the demand for additional sessions.
Sarah Snow, Chair & Trustee, said: “For many families, The Engine Shed is one of the few places that they attend where their autistic children are absorbed in a stimulating activity with peers and where they have time to talk with others in a similar position.”
Parenting Special Children (PSC)
PSC offers specialist support to families of children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities. They applied for a grant to go towards their Community Support Groups based in Whitley which were established four years ago
Ruth Pearce, CEO, said: “During Covid, due to increased needs of families, the Community Support Team provided weekly Zoom support groups and family events instead of monthly groups as more support was needed.
“Our personal experiences, as well as feedback from hundreds of families we work with, tell us that parents/carers find great comfort and support from having regular contact with others similar. It gives them a collective voice and sense of community. The service will continue to offer support groups for families with similar circumstances.”
Reading Samaritans
Reading Samaritans was the next charity to receive a grant from the Fund. They offer support to those who are experiencing feelings of distress or despair, including those who may be at risk of suicide by providing a confidential telephone and email service and face-to-face support.
Elizabeth Hayes, Trustee and Branch Coordinator, said, “The grant of £1,000 will be used to support continuous development for existing volunteers by hosting several training sessions featuring external speakers.”
Hope and Vision Communities
Hope and Vision were established in 2020 and provides specialist-supported move-on accommodation for people leaving treatment for addictions. The grant has been used to purchase a year’s supply of Drug Testing Kits.
Tony Attwood, Founder, said: “You often can’t afford to live alone and need to share a home with like-minded people who don’t risk your sobriety. If your home isn’t a safe place to live you can relapse, which often leads to reoffending and returning to jail.
“Each new property we take on is renovated by the men already in the programme – there’s a real camaraderie between our residents.”
Reading Rockets Basketball Club
A year into the Fund, the Foundation granted Reading Rockets, the town’s local basketball club, £1,000 towards a new set of equipment due to having to change venues to Loddon Valley Leisure Centre.
Matt Johnson, Director of Basketball, said, “The grant will help us to bring in new floor-mounted hoops and a scoreboard and bring excitement to Lower Earley and D1 professional basketball to the local families.”
Chemogiftbags
Chemogiftbags provides care package bags for breast cancer patients. They applied for a grant to raise the necessary funds for supplies for their bags. These items include stuffing for heart shaped cushions, which help relieve discomfort from surgery and chemotherapy, word search books to occupy long hours of treatment, and wool for their custom blankets.
Lynne Shipton, Founder, said, “Our bags provide support in so many ways. They educate, and they also relieve some of the anxiety, we have done the thinking for them.”
Ridgeline Trust
The Ridgeline Trust were awarded a grant in June 2022; they help people living with either physical or learning disabilities or a mental health issue learn new skills, regain lost skills, and improve mental, social, and physical health through horticultural therapy in their beautiful garden in East Reading. The Trust applied for a grant to enable the Social Prescribing Project to continue on a weekly basis for 14 clients.
Ros Richards, Trustee, commented, “Being part of a gardening team working towards shared aims helps to create a sense of belonging, camaraderie, and achievement, all of which are found to promote positive mental health and wellbeing.”
Autism Berkshire
Autism Berkshire provides advice and support services for parents/carers of autistic children and young people, including a Helpline, workshops, a welfare benefits advice service, and various social and leisure activities. They were awarded £1,000 to supplement two family fun days at the new Prospect Park Pavilion, to enable families to benefit from its improved play and activity facilities.
Jane Stanford-Beale said: “Prior to the Covid pandemic, we often received requests for more activities for autistic children during school holidays. These requests have started to come in again this year, as families feel more confident about going out and about, but they want places to go that offer a supportive environment, where their children feel happy and safe”.
The grant for £1,000 was awarded to go towards a Hallowe’en party in October and a Christmas party in December.
Wyfold Riding for the Disabled (WRDA)
WRDA is an independent charity that provides horse riding facilities for people with physical or mental disabilities within the South Oxfordshire and Reading areas. The grant was awarded in September 2022.
Diane Lee, Chairwoman, said: “WRDA provides disabled adults and children with the opportunity to ride and/or carriage drive horses to benefit their physical, emotional, and social wellbeing.
Our workforce of 7 horses and ponies give therapeutic riding and driving sessions to approximately 65 riders and carriage drivers each week. The activities take place in our purpose-built riding arena or on the all-weather track, with rides through beautiful woods and parkland.”
The £1,000 grant will be used to secure the day-to-day running of the yard, including purchasing feed.
Reading Family Aid
Reading Family Aid run the town’s annual Toys and Teens Appeal fundraiser and have been established in Reading for over 50 years. This year, 3,001 gifts were donated to children, up approximately by 500 on last year, as parents struggle to keep houses warm and feed their children.
Ruth Perkins explained, “We at Reading Family Aid were overwhelmed to receive the amazing news that we had been awarded £1,000 to buy toys for the Toys and Teens Appeal. There is evidently increasing levels of poverty in Reading which already has some of the most deprived areas in the country.”
Grassrootz Youth Club
Local youth club Grassrootz, founded in 2020, run five youth club sessions each week for the Reading community in Whitley, Caversham, and Coley Park, seeing youths from eight up to 16, with more clubs based in other areas of Reading on the horizon. They were awarded with a grant of £1,000 to purchase a computer and DJ equipment.
Kelvin Husbands, Founder of Grassrootz, commented, “The money we have received is going towards a new computer and DJ equipment, so the young people can produce music, do their homework, browse the internet, make art projects, and will help to take the club to a new level.”
Reading Mencap
Our last COVID-19 Relief Fund Grant was awarded to Reading Mencap who are using the grant to hold two events for unpaid carers in the local area.
The Charity, now celebrating its 60th year, provides family support, a weekly social and leisure club for adults with learning disabilities, a monthly disco, performing arts workshops, a community choir, and outings for young carers.
Marie-Claire, Fundraising Manager, added, “We would like to offer two events including a pottery painting session and an afternoon tea. Invitations to the events will be available to all unpaid carers within the newly formed partnership, not just carers of people with learning disabilities.”
From the John Sykes Foundation:
The John Sykes Foundation support a wide range of Reading-based non-profit charities and organisations.
The Trustees are flexible in their consideration of any grant application, however the key criteria is that your organisation will provide a direct benefit to individuals or a community within a 5-mile radius of Reading town centre.
Whilst the John Sykes Foundation will consider funding for day-to-day expenditure and capital projects, we are primarily seeking to support specific needs, projects and/or activities.
Although this particular fund has now ended, we love to receive grant applications and encourage charities in need to apply, which can be done via our website: www.johnsykesfoundation.org
Also, a new Cost of Living Crisis Fund has just been launched by the Foundation, which will run during 2023.
