A charity fund which makes donations to voluntary groups across Lichfield and Burntwood has reached a £150,000 milestone.
The We Love Lichfield Fund is now worth the impressive figure, putting it well on target to reach the target of £500,000 by 2016.
Launched in 2011, it provides small grants to a wide range of projects and raises money through companies and individuals making donations or fund-raising. The money is then invested through a permanent endowment fund by the Staffordshire Community Foundation, with the interest and dividends earned distributed across the district.
Simon Price, CEO of cutlery firm Arthur Price and patron of the We Love Lichfield Fund said: “I think it is testament to the people and companies throughout the District of Lichfield that we have achieved this amazing milestone in just two years.
“The We Love Lichfield Donor Advisory Team has worked tirelessly with the support of lots of individuals and organisations and I’d like to those all who have helped us on our journey so far.
“We will now be able to give more money away, but we still have the aim of managing the fund with the help of the Staffordshire Community Fund, to reach our ultimate target of £500,000 by 2016 meaning annual donations of £25,000 per annum.”
Julian Fisher, Fund Advisor and Director of PR consultancy Townhouse Communications, added: “The next step in our strategy is to encourage people to nominate the We Love Lichfield Fund when fund-raising.
“If you are running in a marathon or organising a duck race we’d very much like people to consider the Fund as their charity of choice, which guarantees to give money back to organisations only based in the district. Indeed, you could say We Love Lichfield is for the district, by the district.”
The Fund will consider all applications from local groups in need, aiming to do so twice a year. Visit www.staffsfoundation.org.uk/welovelichfield to see if your organisation meets the funding criteria and to download an application form.