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Celebrities whose worthy projects received a boost
31 Dec 2008A RECENT event organised by Mr Mulder raised more than £130,000 for charities fronted by names such as Channel 4 presenter Jon Snow and writer Nick Hornby.
Six organisations each bid for a £5,000 grant, but members of Mr Mulder's The Funding Network instead donated a total of £130,657. Actress Amanda Mealing, fashion designer Katharine Hamnett and songwriter and musician Richard Stilgoe made successful bids for donations to their charitable projects.
Stilgoe runs The Orpheus Centre, which specialises in performing arts for young people with physical and learning disabilities. One regular visitor, Lorna, had hoped go to university but was unable to pass her English GCSEs or A-levels because of her dyslexia and cerebral palsy. He said: "During her three years, Lorna was supported to get the necessary qualifications and was accepted at Coventry University to study Dance and Professional Practice.
"She graduated last year and is now teaching dance and drama to children with learning difficulties." The charity received a grant of £15,000.
Snow was awarded £40,000 for his project, the New Horizon Youth Centre, which works with vulnerable young people. Founded in 1968, it is based between Euston and St Pancras and is open seven days a week helping more than 50 people a day.
The money means it can now employ a literacy and numeracy tutor to give one-to-one and group coaching. Snow said everyone involved was "completely overwhelmed" by the generosity of The Funding Network members.
"(It) was an absolutely amazing event for us at New Horizon," he said. "Uplifting and a hugely generous financial boost to our work."
Reader views (1)
The Orpheus Centre was a worthy recipient of the grant - the work they do with young disabled adults is outstanding, and it deserves higher recognition.
- Squatpump1978, Surrey, 31/12/2008 12:06
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