# Garfield Weston Foundation increases anniversary fund from £5 million to £11 million

- Link: https://fundraising.co.uk/2018/10/10/garfield-weston-foundation-increases-anniversary-fund-5m-11m/
- Published: 2018-10-10T07:20:27+01:00
- Author: Howard Lake

**The Garfield Weston Foundation has more than doubled its £5 million anniversary
fund to over £11 million in response to the “overwhelming demand” it has received
from charities. It will now support over 150 charities and community organisations
across the UK.**

The Foundation, one of the UK’s largest charitable funders, reports that small community
charities are “rising to the challenges of unprecedented demand for their services
by being proactive and innovative” and as such require further support. The Trustees,
descendants of the founder, took the decision to more than double the fund after
receiving **over 2,300 applications**, with **over 60%** from charities that had
never applied to them before. 

A recent survey by the Foundation found that **66%** of small charities (with an
annual income of less than £500,000) expected their income to stay the same or decline
this year, yet **55%** expect to be delivering more services.

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The survey, based on responses from 149 small charity leaders, found that funding
help for refurbishments or a new building was viewed as important by many charities
as it helps them earn new income.

 

## Weston Anniversary Fund

The Weston Anniversary Fund is a capital fund to make the Foundation’s 60th year.
It was [launched at the beginning of this year](https://fundraising.co.uk/2018/01/15/garfield-weston-foundation-launches-5m-fund-part-60th-anniversary-year/)
to provide funding to charities to improve their existing facilities or provide 
new ones. Grants range **from £30,000 to £150,000** and are intended to be uses 
for facilities such as minibuses, village halls and other buildings. 

This is also the year that saw the Foundation make its [£1 billionth donation](https://fundraising.co.uk/2018/04/24/garfield-weston-foundation-gives-1-billionth-donation-youth-charity/).

The [Garfield Weston Foundation](https://garfieldweston.org/)’s Director, Philippa
Charles, explained why the total funding had been increased so substantially. “What
really impressed our Trustees”, she said,”is the amount of volunteering and community
involvement that’s going on across the UK. We heard about so many amazing projects
involving local people who are helping their communities thrive – regardless of 
cuts, Brexit debates and other challenges.

“The response from charities to this new fund clearly demonstrates the voluntary
sector is proactive and energetic; far from the complacency it is sometimes accused
of. Yet we can also see the level of need that exists in our local communities and
how much the services charities provide are so desperately needed. The impact of
these grants will be significant, with benefits for many people lasting years.”

 

## Garfield Weston Foundation

The family-founded charitable grant-making foundation supports causes across the
UK. Typically it gives over £60 million each year to over 1,500 charities across
the UK.

Its funding comes from an endowment of shares in the family business which includes
Twinings, Primark, Kingsmill (all part of Associated British Foods Plc) and Fortnum&
Mason, amongst others.

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