A charitable giving fund set up by South West accountancy and finance group Old Mill has reached the milestone of awarding £50,000 in grants to grassroots good causes since being launched just over three years ago.
The firm, which has offices in Chippenham, Wells, Yeovil and Exeter, has a strong history of giving back to the community.
In 2019 it made a long-term commitment to support local charities by partnering with grant-making charity Somerset Community Foundation (SCF) to create the Old Mill Fund.
It has since made more than 40 grants – totalling £50,000 – to a wide range of charities and touching the lives of more than 4,000 people.
The money is raised through regular donations directly from Old Mill, personal contributions and fundraising by staff.
Twice a year, SCF and the community foundations in Devon and Wiltshire assess applications from inspiring local projects that fit well within fund’s three key objectives of:
Building brighter futures – helping young people to build skills, confidence and resilience and succeed at school and beyond
Reducing rural loneliness –supporting activities that reduce loneliness and help to improve physical and mental health
Strengthening communities – supporting projects that bring people together and build strong, supportive communities that help the most disadvantaged.
Old Mill then chooses the projects it would most like to support.
Charities awarded grants so far include Wiltshire Treehouse, a charity providing bereavement support for children, young people, and families in the county. The charity received a huge increase in demand due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the grant from The Old Mill Fund is helping it to continue to provide these vital services.
Other causes include Sweet Track Counselling Agency, a counselling service based in Glastonbury town centre, and Open Arms East Devon, which provides support for adults with mental health difficulties.
Meanwhile, one of the charities chosen this year is Doorway, a Chippenham-based project that supports vulnerable adults experiencing homelessness or housing issues by running drop-in sessions offering hot food, showers, laundry, internet access.
SCF philanthropy director Laura Blake said: “Our partnership with Old Mill is a very special one. The firm’s donations to The Old Mill Fund have helped us provide more vital funding for small, local charities working to support young people, improve people’s mental health and invest in strengthening local communities and we’re thrilled to have awarded over £50,000 of funding since 2019.
“But what makes our partnership so special is how Old Mill has also helped raise awareness of the need in our local communities and inspired its clients to consider giving through their local Community Foundations.
“In the past year alone, Old Mill clients have donated almost £200,000 through community foundations – some creating permanent funds that will benefit local people and charities for generations to come.
“We’re hugely grateful to be working with a firm that is so passionate about making a significant social impact and look forward to building on our exciting partnership in the years to come.”
Old Mill partner Jon Orchard, who helps manage the fund, has personally raised more than £2,500 through various sponsored events, including a 45-mile run and strapping himself to the top of a stunt plane.
He said: “We are naturally very proud of this achievement and the benefit the grants have had in the local communities that we work in. We certainly don’t want to stop here and our aim is to continue to raise awareness of the Old Mill fund and the various community foundations.
“While do not have a particular monetary goal in mind, we wish to continue to spread the word about how important we believe philanthropic giving should be for businesses and individuals, and lead by example.
“We are finding that businesses are starting to think more about their impact on the communities around them and how they can be a powerful force for good.”
