Community fund reaches £1 million milestone

A regional fund has marked a major milestone, distributing over £1 million in grants to tackle social challenges and enhance opportunities across the North East.

The Guy Readman Endowment Fund, managed by the Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland, was established with a £2.5 million legacy gift from the late Guy Readman OBE, former North East businessman of the year.

Since 2017, the fund, which is overseen by Guy’s daughters Jane Greenshields and Jill Potier Godinho, has awarded more than 70 grants, supporting causes such as poverty alleviation, environmental sustainability and community infrastructure.

Explaining the overriding aim of the trust and her father’s legacy, Jane said: “My father was proud of his North East roots. He felt it was important to invest in and give back to the region.

“I feel privileged to be actively involved in how and where his legacy is spent, and I welcome how it helps keep the memories of both him and his involvement with our local community strong.”

A strong focus has been placed on supporting children and young people, with grants exceeding £100,500 directed towards summer playschemes and initiatives such as the King’s Trust programmes in enterprise and personal development.

Björn Risi, service delivery manager for the King’s Trust in the North East, added: “Quite simply, without the grants and support given by the Guy Readman Endowment Fund, many young people would not realise their potential and dreams through starting their own business.

“The support it gives keeps on giving because these young people can build their independence and through their businesses, go on to provide employment and prosperity for others in their communities.”

A passion for literacy development has led to £65,000 in funding for projects such as Tyneview Primary School’s ‘Reading Rocks Shed’ in Walker, which helped 83 per cent of pupils to achieve their expected reading levels despite the challenges of the pandemic.

Other initiatives include £186,612 being awarded to The Social Mobility Foundation to support mentoring and internships for 60 pupils over a two-year period, alongside funding to YMCA Newcastle, enabling the recruitment of a progression coach to guide young people in exploring career opportunities.

Katie Stamps, head of programme delivery at The Social Mobility Foundation, added: “Talent is everywhere, but opportunity is not.

“At The Social Mobility Foundation, our vision is for a society where talent from all social backgrounds is nurtured, harnessed, and rewarded.

“We are honoured to have been supported by The Guy Readman Endowment Fund, which has helped over 100 Guy Readman Rising Stars through our Aspiring Professionals Programme since 2019, providing life-changing opportunities to young people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds in the North East.”

And for Jill, empowering young people to achieve their full potential has always been a driving force behind her involvement with the fund.

“When my father first donated to the Community Foundation, his main focus of giving was to help young people to help themselves.

“I decided to continue with this theme, but to focus specifically on academically gifted children, who may not have the opportunity or support (both parental and financial) to pursue higher education.

“Children who benefitted from this funding were to be called ‘Guy Readman Rising Stars.’”

Through these efforts, the fund continues to honour its mission of empowering communities and driving positive regional change.

Ross Wilson, senior philanthropy advisor at the Community Foundation, added: “It has been my privilege to manage Guy Readman’s legacy fund and see first-hand the significant impact it has made.

“Jane and Jill’s commitment to seeing their father’s legacy used wisely and effectively is hugely commendable and the flexibility of their giving has allowed us to address an array of issues pertinent to the North East.

“Thanks to the endowment model, the fund will continue giving at scale for years to come and Guy’s generosity will proudly live on.”

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