Three local charities were honoured by Lady Redmond MBE, HM Lord-Lieutenant of Cheshire and President of Cheshire Community Foundation, at her annual President’s Awards event, this year at her home, Tirley Garth.
The awards were presented by Lady Redmond MBE, HM Lord-Lieutenant of Cheshire, at Cheshire Community Foundation’s President’s Awards. The event was sponsored by Hartey Wealth Management and attended by the winning charities as well as the Community Foundation’s trustees, generous donors and supporters. Guests enjoyed Tirley Garth’s Grade II* listed gardens and grounds at the beautiful Arts and Crafts era manor house. Guests heard about the Foundation’s previous year of fundraising, grant making and funded projects which have touched the lives of over 1 in 10 people in Cheshire. They report having awarded over £1.5 million in grants in 2022 impacting over 120,000 people. Funded projects vary enormously, including support for mental health, poverty and deprivation, and children and young people.
This last year has seen a cost-of-living crisis that has pushed many more of our residents into poverty. In Warrington alone, over 1,700 people turned to the Warrington Food Bank for emergency support. But we’ve also seen record donations from our wonderful donors, proving that Cheshire is a place where kindness prevails. It’s incredible to see how small things can make a huge difference, like in Cheshire East where a grant to bring one counsellor into a school meant over 222 sessions were offered free, to struggling young people. Or in Cheshire West, where one small grant trained 75 debt support workers, meaning over 500 households received advice on their benefits and money matters. Our annual President’s Awards is an opportunity to celebrate the amazing work of these local charities, who are keeping our communities afloat. We are so grateful to our President, Lady Redmond MBE and her husband Sir Phil Redmond CBE, who so kindly hosted the event at their own home.
The charity awards were presented to:
Mentell, a men’s mental health charity, Chance Changing Lives, for their work on poverty and homelessness, and Passion for Learning, a children’s education charity.
The charities have all received grants from Cheshire Community Foundation during the last year and the judging panel were impressed by the enormous impact of their work, changing and indeed saving lives.
Mike Cunningham, a long term supporter of the community foundation as a volunteer, was given a Community Hero award. This is in recognition of Mike’s inspiring and passionate commitment to breaking cycles of deprivation in Cheshire and Warrington, by lending his expertise and chairing groups, taking the lead on projects and acting as a driving force in the community.
The Community Foundation also gave a Community Hero award to TCAT, who have provided them with a new home when their previous office space in Northwich became unaffordable overnight. The new office space at Bridgewater High School is modern, spacious and incredibly welcoming. By giving this gift, TCAT have ensured that donors’ funds go straight to the communities who need it most.
“We are absolutely delighted to be associated with the President’s Awards, as our values are very much aligned, and hope to be associated over the years ahead.”
The audience was moved to hear his personal story of the Charlotte Hartey Foundation, established in memory of his daughter, which has donated over £35,000 to local young people’s charities.
The new High Sheriff of Cheshire Dennis Dunn was in attendance, alongside many local business owners, generous donors to the community foundation, and charity representatives.