Two pioneering local firms with a strong track record in helping charity have become the latest supporters of the Middlesbrough and Teesside Philanthropic Foundation (MTPF).
The Endeavour Partnership and Devereux Developments have both pledged their support for the foundation and one of the first groups to benefit is a local group of OAPs.
Left to right: Rosie Bayliss, Bill Kirby, Sybil Foster. Back row: Jean Bailey, Jamie Brown from Endeavour, Mary Parker, Russ Devereux from Devereux Developments, Dora Wilkinson.
The Stokesley based OAP group has used the funding to secure its weekly bingo sessions until 2012.
Group organiser Rosie Bayliss is thrilled with the donation. She said: “The group is a real lifeline for our members. It’s an opportunity to meet and socialise in a safe, local place and with the Foundation’s help we can now guarantee that we’ll be able to run the club until well into next year.
“We’re all very grateful.”
As well as forging close links with businesses in the region, Endeavour has always been actively involved in supporting local charities so when it heard about the Middlesbrough and Teesside Philanthropic Foundation it was keen to help.
Endeavour’s commercial property partner Jamie Brown said:
“We are committed to supporting charities as part of our corporate social responsibility programme so we did not hesitate in becoming a founding patron of the Middlesbrough and Teesside Philanthropic Foundation.
“We’re enthusiastic about the Foundation’s commitment to supporting community groups and projects across Teesside, particularly at a time when funding for charities and community groups is being squeezed from all sources.”
So far the Foundation has raised more than £160,000 – beating its own target of £100,000.
Andy Preston, chairman of MTPF said: “Every time firms like Endeavour and Devereux make a commitment to be involved it is a huge boost and means we can help more organisations and clubs to keep running and moving on.
“We firmly believe we are showing the rest of the UK just what philanthropy can achieve at a local level when people work together.”
Russ Devereux from Billingham based Devereux Developments Ltd added: “Our roots are very much in Teesside, we want to support the area and local people. The Stokesley OAP group deserve some help and we’re really pleased that we’ve been able to contribute towards their weekly bingo sessions.
“Working with the foundation means we can help a whole range of people and good causes so we’re very proud to be involved with such an inspiring organisation and group of people.”
