The Patron Foundations Initiative, Empowers others and supports the base building blocks of society, including improving and preserving the physical environment, immediate emergency aid and ongoing support for the vulnerable.

Recent Activities – Highlights  

With Patron’s initial anchor support of £1m, Women in Safe Homes launched this week with: £15m+ of seed capital, agreements in place with three women’s aid charity partners and talks in process with two others with a pipeline of property. This fund is massively important as it will provide homes for women, escaping domestic abuse, rehabilitating ex-offenders and those homeless for other reasons. COVID-19 has significantly exacerbated domestic abuse hugely with lockdown trapping women with their abusers.

Continuing the Greatness Lectures, we welcomed Jane Jutsum of Solace Women’s Aid and Chloe McCardel, a survivor of domestic abuse and endurance swimming world record holder to share their perspectives on the escalation of domestic violence, during lockdown and the work being done to help.

Undertaking a self-started project, the Patron Admin team are raising funds for Solace Women’s Aid, a charity that aims to prevent violence and abuse as well as providing services to meet the needs of survivors particularly women and girls. We have raised £15,000 from donations! The team have now been purchasing gifts, including necessary clothing and supplies for the women and their children, and packing and distributing these gifts to the refuges across London.

Continuing to provide ongoing and significant assistance as lead partners to both The PTI (professional development for state school teachers) and RMA – The Royal Marines Charity, including providing both organisations with permanent, dedicated, sole use space in the Patron office, event and meeting space, administration assistance, governance, help with fundraising and introductions and major donations.

Donating £10,000 to the Erez Foundation to support their work helping disabled military veterans and terminally ill children experience the joy of skiing and outdoor adventures.

Helping a young GB climber Erin McNeiece continue her training through lockdown by opening up our private indoor climbing facility to her (with required COVID-19 procedures and risk assessments in place) when all commercial options were closed.

Continuing to donate to a wide variety of other charity and non-profit organisations; sectors supported and amounts provided > £300,000 are as follows:
o Civic projects, cultural and religious organisations, "think tanks", community organisations and charities supporting the vulnerable, sick and disabled;
o Multiple medical charities;
o Multiple education groups and;
o Multiple organisations working with military veterans.