Cheshire Community Foundation (CCF) Presidents Awards and Celebration

Artorius were proud to be asked to sponsor the Cheshire Community Foundation (CCF) Presidents Awards and Celebration held at the beautiful Walton Hall in Warrington. Artorius and the CCF have a history going back to the outset of our business and we share many common ideals.

The Cheshire Community Foundation prides itself upon many things, not least helping and supporting those who really need it in Cheshire in Warrington via grants to local charities, and of those complete transparency and communication are fundamental to the way they operate the foundation. David Briggs, The Lord Lieutenant of Cheshire and the CCF President, aptly put at the dinner that it was just not acceptable to make charitable donations and not be kept informed of where those monies were being used and the good they were providing. Indeed, it is all too oft the case that the only time donors here from the charitable organisations they pledge their support to is as the gifting anniversary arises and they receive a request for more money.

The CCF actively keeps their donors informed of what is going in with the foundation, the charities it is supporting and there is the opportunity to spend time with the charities that receive grants and support. It is this openness that means our two organisations are aligned in the way that we think and operate.

The dinner itself was a magnificent event with a fantastic turnout of in excess of sixty attendees comprising (amongst others) donors, charity members and partners from local councils and the fire service. David Briggs opened the event with a passionate speech about the foundation, the work done this year and it’s place in the Cheshire community that was delivered with equal measures of sincerity and appropriately placed humour. Over lunch we then had a presentation by Zoe Sheppard outlining not only what the foundation has achieved in the last year, but also the impressive year on year increase in support given to local charities and their absolute commitment to putting as much money as possible to work as possible. All charities have overheads and it is not possible for them to function without associated costs but CCF operate a far leaner organisation than many of their peers. Zoe outlined the foundations ambitions to become one of the largest foundations in the country, a large task as she noted herself due to being the youngest but one that they are determined to strive for. She also spoke of a shorter term focus on increasing support in areas of Cheshire such that the financial split across the county is driven by the per capita spread of those less privileged, which in part helped with the choice of venue being in Warrington.

We then moved on to the awards for 2018 to recognise the exceptional contribution of incredible local charities who have demonstrated excellence in their approach to Impact, Inclusion and Innovation; an opportunity for those attending to acknowledge first hand the good local charities are doing in the area.

All in all a fantastic event and one which Artorius are proud to be support.