Fundraising campaign rescues Damilola Taylor Trust
Howard Lake | 19 June 2015 | News
The Damilola Taylor Trust, the charity founded in memory of murdered schoolboy Damilola Taylor, has been able to clear all its debts after the first six months of fundraising drive launched as it faced possible closure.
The campaign was run by telemarketing agency Listen Fundraising. Staff there took part in a range of activities from bake sales and sponsored push-ups to a fundraising night (‘A Night for Damilola’) to raise £20,000 for the struggling organisation. The company then doubled this sum.
Now that its outstanding debts have been cleared, the Trust has been able to begin funding projects once again.
Listen and Damilola Taylor Trust
Listen’s involvement followed a public plea in late 2014 from Damilola’s father, Richard Taylor OBE, to rescue the organisation. It donated an initial £25,000 to relieve some of the organisation’s most pressing debts, before pledging to match-fund a further £20,000 last November.
Richard Taylor OBE, Founder of Damilola Taylor Trust, said:
“I am delighted that the Trust’s vital work with inner city communities can continue unabated thanks to the commitment of Listen, corporate donors like Wilmington Trust and creditors such as Cambridge House, who agreed that a portion of the debt owed could be treated as a donation to the charity.
“We have always been determined to continue our work in Damilola’s name and reach out to young people like him who dream of a life without fear, and full of opportunity. And today, that work is fully possible again. I wish to say a big thank you to Listen and all those who stepped forward and supported us in our time of need.”Advertisement
Tony Charalambides, Managing Director of Listen Fundraising, said:
“Listen is so proud to have been able to step into the breach and in just six months help rid a really important and hugely relevant charity of its debts. Above all, it means the Damilola Taylor Trust can continue supporting young disadvantaged people across London and inner city communities – which is critical, life changing work.”
About Howard Lake
Howard Lake is consultant editor of UK Fundraising. He founded the site in 1994 and successfully sold it in 2022. As director of Giving X Ltd he is exploring growing giving on a massive scale.
He is the founder of Fundraising Camp and co-founder of GoodJobs.