大象传媒

Our Stoke-on-Trent bred superstar, Robbie Williams, is helping the community in North Staffordshire much more than we could imagine, yet he seems incredibly modest about it all.

Rob - in Little Britain for Comic Relief

How it all started...

In June 2000, with the help of Comic Relief, Robbie Williams set up Give It Sum.
Robbie was impressed by how every penny that Comic Relief (the people behind Red Nose Day) receives is put towards benefiting varying projects, (plus the way that the public is informed of where the money goes and the difference it makes to peoples lives).

Now Give It Sum is helping all sorts of causes all over the county.
It aims to improve local conditions and strengthen community life by giving money to those who are disadvantaged in the areas of Staffordshire Moorlands, Stoke-on-Trent and Newcastle-under-Lyme.

As of 2009, the fund has helped over 420 projects in the area, awarding more than 拢4.5 million.
Projects from the small to the very large can benefit.

Treetops Hospice

Those who have benefited include the Donna Louise Trust, which runs the Treetops Hospice in Trentham in Stoke on Trent, and the north Staffordshire Keep Active Group, run by group coordinator Janet Flaherty.

Treetops Hospice provides respite and end of life care to children with life threatening conditions and their families. In 2008, the struggling children鈥檚 hospice had to close its doors 2 nights a week because a fall in donations meant it was been unable to stay open.

The Hospice requires 拢2 million a year to provide vital care for the 160 children who are cared for there, and the Give It Sum Fund enables Treetops to employ specialist children鈥檚 nurses to look after them.听
鈥淲ithout these nurses, we wouldn鈥檛 be able to do what we do, so the support from Give It Sum Fund is so important,鈥� says Melanie Mills, Head of Fundraising and Public Relations at Treetops.

Keep Active Group

The Keep Active Group was only able to survive due to donations made by Robbie through his Give it Sum Fund.
Started in 2006, Keep Active is a lifeline to women whose lives are dominated by physical health problems and giving them the chance to make lasting friendships and have valuable fun trying new things.

With the 拢30,000 awarded by the Give it Sum Fund, the Keep Active Group have been able to hold a wide range of fortnightly activities that include:
鈥� Concerts and arts & crafts
鈥� Shopping trips
鈥� Short courses, talks and guided tours
鈥� Swimming & meditation
鈥� Beauty treatments

The group plays an important role in the lives of its members, many of whom had felt very isolated and wanted to get out and meet people. It aims to enable members to become more involved in their local community and increase their confidence by giving them skills and knowledge through creative and informative activities.

Keep Active members also visit each other at home and in hospital, whilst a regular newsletter keeps everyone in touch with each other, even if they can鈥檛 attend meetings.

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Grants - Frequently Asked Questions....

Can I apply for a Give it Sum grant?

The Fund supports a broad range of self-help projects, community groups and voluntary organisations (with an income of less than 拢150,000 a year) that address problems caused by poverty, disadvantage and discrimination in their area.
It will also consider your application if you are a voluntary organisation who provides services to people in need.

Examples of work it will consider include:

• Residents' associations and self help groups working to improve their local听 communities.
• Projects offering help and support to those in need, for example, homeless people, single parents, older people, children, and people from Black and minority ethnic communities.
• Projects that help people who are often left out, to have their say - for example, groups campaigning for better services and disabled people's rights groups.

Community Chest

The Give it Sum Fund also supports the Give it Sum North Staffs Community Chest. This fund makes grants between 拢50 and 拢1000 to groups with an annual income of less than 拢10,000 addressing poverty and disadvantage throughout North Staffordshire.听听
Further details can be obtained from Staffordshire Moorlands Community and Voluntary Services on 01538 381356.

Are there guidelines?

In order to apply the group you represent must have a constitution, but doesn't need to be a registered charity.

Those who should benefit most are groups that are run for, and by local people, rather than the larger professional organisations.

How can people apply?

There are various ways to apply depending on how much you want.
To obtain an application pack send a stamped, self addressed large envelope to:
Give It Sum, Comic Relief, 5th Floor, 89 Albert Embankment, London, SE1 7TP.

Alternatively, you can call 0207 820 5555 (Minicom:0207 820 5579) or email: giveitsum@comicrelief.org.uk

For help with your application, you can contact the local Give It Sum Advisor on 01782 720 040.

Give it Sum offers grants for up to two years and the grants will not usually be more than 拢15,000 for each year.