Since 2014, the John Sykes Foundation has been working with local charities and organisations directly benefitting the town of Reading and its residents, through donating grants, fostering inter-charity connections, and strengthening existing partnerships.
Year on year, the Foundation says it has been proud to have supported more and more organisations, with 2023 seeing the charity support 27 local groups in sectors from the youth to the elderly, mental health and addiction, and special educational needs, to name a few.
The Foundation launched the year with the announcement of its Cost of Living Crisis Fund, created as a response to the heightened cost of living both having made it more challenging for charities and community groups to raise funds, but also to cater to the growing number of service users as charities open their doors to more people who are unable to afford to heat their homes or feed their families.
The Weller Centre in Caversham were awarded the first grant, in January.
The centre runs various services, including a warm space café with WiFi, a community bakery providing access to surplus foods from supermarkets at no cost, and a weekly free youth club for Secondary School-aged children.
The staff are on hand throughout the day and work alongside GP Surgeries, Social Prescribers, and Social Care that highlight people who may be in need of the foodbank service.
Hazel Bingham is its facilities manager, and said: “We are so grateful for this grant. It will allow us to purchase person-specific food, including food for those that require specialised diets such as gluten and dairy-free, and make our food bank provisions more nutritious and varied. It will also allow us to purchase the less donated items for the food bank.”
St Matthews Church in Southcote was another recipient of a grant from the Foundation’s Cost of Living Crisis Fund.
The church needed additional support to run its Warm Hub and make it sustainable as the cost of living crisis heightens. They also needed a new cooker to provide hot food. The Warm Hub provides a hot lunchtime meal and a hot drink, as well as a place for people to come together to help combat loneliness.
The Church also run an after-school hub, the equivalent of their Warm Hub, but for school-aged children. The hubs are weekly and free.
Vicar Pads Dolphin said responses from people included, “Our community needs this,” “This is fantastic,” “This is a great idea well done,” and “This is amazing, thank you so much, just what we need.”
Aside from the Cost of Living Crisis Fund, the John Sykes Foundation continued awarding grants in other charitable sectors. No5 Young People were awarded a £2,200 match funding grant towards their Reading Young People’s Hub.
No5 offers free counselling and mental health support to people between the ages of 11 and 25, with its new Hub set to provide open-access, free drop-in mental health support and counselling, as well as life skills training and mentoring.
Parents of Olly Stephens, Stuart and Amanda Stephens, raised £2,200 for No5’s Hub through their angling fundraiser in memory of Olly. The John Sykes Foundation match funded the amount raised, for a total of £4,400 towards the Hub.
As well as supporting financially through grants, the John Sykes Foundation were instrumental in establishing a new partnership between the Royal Berkshire Hospital and local charity Chemogiftbags, founded by Lynne Shipton.
Chemogiftbags offers free bags containing products for women and men to use during chemotherapy, including heart-shaped cushions, which help relieve some discomfort after surgery and whilst having chemotherapy, word search books that occupy the long hours of treatment, and wool for their blankets.
Despite being well established, Chemogiftbags had not yet been able to foster a partnership with the Royal Berkshire Hospital to deliver their bags to chemotherapy patients within the wards. Through their connections, the Foundation brought the two organisations together, and in February 2023, Chemogiftbags delivered their first set of 50 bags to the Hospital.
The John Sykes Foundation’s partnership with the Royal Berkshire Hospital began in May 2019, continuing since then and throughout 2023 by funding and running the A&E Department’s Staff Member of the Month Award.
The partnership enters its sixth year in 2024. Clinical Lead Dr. Omar Nafousi of the A&E Department also proposed a new initiative in 2023, to recognise those staff members outside of the Department who give their assistance to Omar and his Team in A&E. The inaugural award, named the Quarterly Recognition Award, was presented in August 2023 to Roslyn Fissler, Patient Safety Lead (Urgent Care).
The Foundation’s Cost of Living Crisis Fund continued awarding grants, with a further two being to Faith Christian Group and Age UK Reading.
Faith Christian Group run ReadiFood, ReadiStreet, the Community Pantry at Norcot, and Stepping Stones. They were awarded a grant to provide critical supplies and funding for ReadiStreet and ReadiFood, such supplies included 10 tents for those who find themselves homeless and three large flasks and a hot water dispenser for their soup kitchen. These items had a direct impact on the lives to 50-60 people in Reading. The additional funding was utilised to support their food bank, ReadiFood, to give them the opportunity to purchase food items that would not ordinarily be donated to them.
ReadiFood’s current demand sees between 150-200 families receiving food parcels per week in the Reading area. The food parcels are made up by volunteers who generously give their time to the charity.
Andy Dickens, Director of Faith Christian Group, said: “We are incredibly grateful for this grant from the John Sykes Foundation and it is great to partner with John and his team. Their generous gift will help and support those at most need in our town.”
John Sykes, and volunteer of the Foundation, Sian McCoubrey, visited the soup kitchen on one of their evening sessions, and further supported Faith Christian Group by donating funds to purchase 50 duvets for rough sleepers in their two shelters on North Street and Greyfriars Church.
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Age UK Reading are a local independent charity, with its mission being to enable older people and their carers to live more enjoyable, fulfilling lives whereby they are often beset by loneliness, isolation, poor health and mobility issues, with some rarely able to leave their homes. The charity approached the John Sykes Foundation for a grant to provide “treats and extras” for the various social clubs that Age UK Reading provide.
John Sykes said: “We are proud to support such an active and important service in Reading, this is about eliminating isolation and providing a safe and sociable place for the elderly to attend every week. I was so delighted to be invited to visit the coffee morning and meet a number of their service users and to find out more about this vital service. Our donation will enable Age UK Reading to continue their warm welcome, provide hot drinks and food for the clubs, provide funds for trips to the theatre, and help them through these extremely challenging times.”
As well as engaging with new organisations, the John Sykes Foundation are steadfast in fostering long-term relationships with local charities to ensure they can plan sustainably for the future and focus on the vital, life-changing services they provide.
Hope and Vision Communities are one of these charities. Hope and Vision, to which John Sykes was appointed as lead ambassador and fellow trustee Annabelle Sykes as young ambassador this year, provides supported, move-on accommodation for people who have completed residential rehabilitation for addiction, founded by the inspiring Tony Attwood and the judge who had sentenced him, HHJ Peter Ross.
As part of a multi-year pledge, the John Sykes Foundation made its second of three annual grants to maintain the charity’s alcohol and drug testing programme to ensure that men who join Hope and Vision’s recovery and support network can stay accountable to themselves and the safe, supportive community in which they belong.
The John Sykes Foundation also presented a further grant to Hope and Vision to fund a management coaching program to equip and empower staff to deliver the best service they can to those they serve.
John said: “By funding this programme, we are not only investing in the leadership of Hope and Vision to develop a range of skills, but also to help the residents achieve their dreams and aspirations who are striving to make a positive impact in their lives and the lives of others. Together, they can unlock their potential and Tony – with the support of those around him – can inspire them to achieve greatness and break the cycle of addiction.”
The partnership between Brookfields SEN School, Pets as Therapy, and the John Sykes Foundation is one that began in 2019 following the Foundation’s Act of Kindness awards, with a monthly visit from a Pets as Therapy dog.
The partnership grew in 2023 with visits twice a month to two classrooms.
The children in these classes have interacted with two amazing dogs this year, Sooty and Millie, and their handlers who are volunteers. From the moment the dogs walk into the room you can feel the positive energy.
The students’ smiles are contagious as they eagerly interact with their furry friends.
Supporting the youth who experience challenges due to special educational needs (SEN) is an important mission for the John Sykes Foundation who, over recent years, have supported Dingley’s Promise and Parenting Special Children, who deliver life-changing support to under fives and young people/their families respectively with special needs and disabilities.
Dingley’s Promise were awarded a grant for the re-development of their new state-of-the-art sensory room, which will be equipped with cutting-edge sensory equipment designed to cater to the diverse needs of the children attending the nursery. Such equipment includes interactive lighting, tactile surfaces, and immersive audio-visual elements that create a multi-sensory experience tailored to each child’s developmental requirements.
The new sensory room is due to be completed later this month.
John Sykes expressed enthusiasm about further collaboration: “Our Foundation is dedicated to making a lasting impact, and we believe that investing in the well-being and development of these young minds is a step towards a more inclusive future.”
As supporters of Dingley’s Promise, the Foundation were also invited to the House of Lords in support of Dingley’s Promise for the launch of their manifesto in advocating for change for early years inclusion, which marks a crucial step towards creating a brighter future for children with SEN. The event was hosted by Lord Brownlow, with many guests including Lady Theresa May and Simon Muir, High Sheriff of Berkshire.
Parenting Special Children successfully applied for a grant to support their Auticulate Group, a fantastic initiative which fosters communication and life-skills for young people with autism who attend a mainstream school.
Auticulate’s programme includes peer mentoring, role play, discussion, and hands-on practice with a range of everyday experiences, including using public transport, shopping, and attending restaurants, cafes, and leisure activities.
Reading Association for the Blind were another charity that the John Sykes Foundation supported for a second time.
The Foundation were approached after Reading Association for the Blind were having difficulty funding the coach to transport their service users to Bournemouth for their annual seaside trip, as they were unable to get the funding anywhere else and the outing is oversubscribed.
The members really enjoyed the day last year, and for some, it is their only annual trip. With members having various levels of sight loss, the beach has a variety of sensory stimulants, from dipping toes into the sea, walking on the sand, and smelling the different aromas. Annabelle Sykes said: “This grant allows service users, who may not have the opportunity to visit the coast otherwise, to create lasting memories. We believe that everyone deserves a chance to experience the beauty and serenity of the seaside, and this grant helps Reading Association for the Blind make that happen.”
As well as building and strengthening existing relationships, the John Sykes Foundation have partnered with various organisations for the first time this year, such as football team Sanctuary Strikers and young people’s charity Starting Point.
As part of the Community Fund with the University of Reading, the John Sykes Foundation joint-funded the Community Cup Football Tournament organised by Sanctuary Strikers and included other local football teams, Giveback FC, Care for Calais FC, and Bethal United. It was a fantastic afternoon with lots of great football, laughter, connections being made, along with some friendly football banter.
The winners of the tournament, for the third year running, were Giveback FC.
The Mayor of Reading, Cllr Tony Page, and John Sykes (and “Little” John Sykes), were asked to present the medals to all of the players and join in with the celebrations.
Starting Point came to the attention of the John Sykes Foundation through the parents of Olly Stephens, Stuart and Amanda. It is a dynamic organisation providing safe spaces, mentoring, and creating opportunities for young people in the Reading community. The Foundation match funded a grant from Stuart and Amanda, with the funds to be used towards Starting Point’s “Hub” – a safe space for young people to drop in during the summer, access support, and build confidence and connections in the community.
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Before entering the Christmas festivities, the John Sykes Foundation announced their most ambitious fund to date, the Reading Youth Fund.
John Sykes gave details on this initiative: “We have collaborated with many groups and individuals who offer unwavering support, including to Young People in Reading, but we have witnessed a big gap when it comes to this demographic. Budgets have been cut, youth clubs have disappeared, and more and more young people have nowhere to go after school, at weekends, or summer holidays, resulting in some getting enticed into crime or at least in spending more time on Social Media.
“The Foundation have created this fund to enable groups and charities in Reading to continue and expand their services to keep the Youth of Reading safe, knowledgeable, and to give them opportunities.”
Applications are open on the John Sykes Foundation’s website to apply to the Reading Youth Fund now.
As Christmas approached, the Foundation supported, for the second year, the Toys and Teens Appeal by Reading Family Aid, which ensures children in Reading wake up to toys from Father Christmas on Christmas Day.
The Charity invites local people to donate toys or funds via the GoFundMe page to help make Christmas more special for children set to receive no presents this festive season.
Charlie Sykes, Trustee of the Foundation, said, “We are so pleased to support Reading Family Aid’s Toys and Teens Appeal again. Christmas is a time for giving, and we believe in the power of community support to bring warmth and joy to those who need it most.
“The donation will play a crucial role in providing toys, gifts, and festive treats to children and teenagers who may otherwise experience a challenging holiday season. The goal is to empower families, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to experience the joy of Christmas.”
Taking in the Christmas spirit, the Foundation were also approached by The Weller Centre after their successful grant application in January, as they wanted support to fund a reindeer to attend the Centre’s Annual Christmas Party for their service users. Many families unfortunately will never have the chance to meet true reindeers, so the Foundation and the Weller Centre brought the reindeer to Reading.
From the John Sykes Foundation:
The John Sykes Foundation support a wide range of Reading-based non-profit charities and organisations.
The Trustees are flexible in their consideration of any grant application, however the key criteria is that your organisation will provide a direct benefit to individuals or a community within a five-mile radius of Reading town centre.
While the John Sykes Foundation will consider funding for day-to-day expenditure and capital projects, its is primarily seeking to support specific needs, projects and/or activities.
It says it loves to receive grant applications and encourage charities in need to apply, which can be done via its website: www.johnsykesfoundation.org