Supporting We Love Lichfield's 2024 Christmas grant giveaway

£1,000 donation from Richard Winterton Auctioneers buoys annual event

CHRISTMAS came early for local voluntary groups this week thanks to We Love Lichfield.

At its annual Christmas grant giveaway, the fund awarded grants to 22 local good causes - and received a stocking full of donations from local businesses.

The event at The George Hotel on Thursday, December 5, saw community groups from across the district gather to receive grants totalling more than £15,000.

Children from Lichfield Cathedral School’s junior choir sang Christmas carols to get everyone in the festive mood before multiple businesses donated funds worth more than £13,600 to We Love Lichfield.

And David Lloyd Lichfield received the We Love Lichfield 2024 Community Champion Award for its sterling support for the fund during the last year.

Attendees also heard from triple European and triple Commonwealth artistic gymnast Joe Fraser. The Birmingham gymnast spoke of how community groups helped him on his journey to the world stage of gymnastics.

Organisations to receive grants this Christmas include: MAMA, Kings Bromley Cricket Club, Phoenix Counselling Services, Burntwood Community Table tennis Club, Army Welfare Service Community Support, Lichfield Greenhill Bower, Longdon Flower Club, Whittington Allotment Society, Lichfield Talking News, Better Way recovery,. Shenstone Community Library Local History Group, Stonnall Community Centre, PCC of the Ecclesiastical Parrish of Chasetown, Whittington and Fisherwick Senior Citizens Christmas Party, Christ Church Primary School Association, Lichfield Arts, St Giles Church, Lichfield Friendship Centre, Spokz People CIC, Burntwood be a Friend, Whittington and Fisherwick Good Neighbour Scheme.

Also at the Christmas event, We Love Lichfield received donations worth £13,600 from Lichfield Community Lottery, Richard Winterton Auctioneers, Roger Hinton Charity Trust, Cathedral Hearing, Lichfield Shrievalty Association, Lichfield St Chad’s Rotary, Cllr Richard Cox, Poquitos and David Lloyd Lichfield.

General manager of David Lloyd Lichfield, Andy Lightbown, received the 2024 Community Champion award.

The leisure club has been a key supporter of We Love Lichfield, organising and hosting fundraisers, offering prizes and donating time, resources and materials to help promote the place-based fund.

Andy said: “I am very humbled to receive this award on behalf of David Lloyd Lichfield.

"We always feel it is our duty to support our local community and I would like to extend a huge thank you to my team in club and also our wonderful members who donate and support us.

"We very much support the wide reaching and positive effects of We Love Lichfield and are very proud to be part of a range of businesses that help.”

Since starting more than a decade ago, We Love Lichfield has now given away just over £420,000 in 428 grants to 228 organisations. 

One of the Community Foundation’s place-based funds, We Love Lichfield provides grants to a wide range of projects operating across the district of Lichfield.

The fund considers applications from local groups in need twice a year. It raises money and then the returns are given away. Companies and individuals make up the bulk of the donors to the fund, either through direct donations or by fundraising.

All the money raised is invested through an endowment fund in line with charity commission guidelines. The financial return from the fund is then distributed as small grants across the area.

The beauty of this model is that it will provide a source of sustainable funding that can be used for grants long into the future.

Individuals and businesses can support We Love Lichfield by fundraising or can donate via Enthuse.

Patron of We Love Lichfield, Simon Price, explained: "We Love Lichfield began 11 years ago with £24,000 sitting in dormant funds which was released by Lichfield District Council.

"This figure was match-funded and since then fund-raising has boosted the balance. The capital is invested and only the interest is given out as grants to ensure that the scheme is sustainable for the future.

"We Love Lichfield is like a pension scheme for the voluntary sector in Lichfield District. By raising funds for capital and giving away our interest we can keep the funding going for generations to come.

"So far, we have given away over £420,000 to nearly 230 organisations and I am delighted that we are still seeing many new applicants apply which I am delighted to say we are able to help.”

He added: "We Love Lichfield wouldn’t exist if it didn’t have some amazing supporters. I’d like to thank my fellow panel advisors who work in their own time throughout the year. To the amazing businesses who support including The George Hotel for allowing us to use their hotel twice a year for our grant giveaways.

"Finally, thanks to Lichfield District Council for their support and for entrusting We Love Lichfield in assisting them in their grant and Community Lottery funds. To have the council as a partner gives us a boost to strive even harder to make a difference across our district."

Visit We Love Lichfield online for more information or to apply for a grant.

Pictured top of page, businesses and organisations who donated to We Love Lichfield at the 2024 Christmas Giveaway. From left: Andrew Sims, Rotary St Chad; Louise Lewis, Lichfield Community Lottery/Lichfield District Council; Andy Lightbown, David Lloyd Lichfield; Laura Evans, Cathedral Hearing; Simon Price, patron of We Love Lichfield; Egle Kazdaileviciute, Poquitos; auctioneer Richard Winterton; Janet Eagland, Roger Hinton Charity Trust; Nick Sedgwick, Lichfield Shrievalty Association.