About The Foundation
The objective of the Berkeley Foundation is to "improve the lives of young people, their families and communities". Four main charities have been nominated to benefit from our fundraising activities over the next 12 months, see further information below. Berkeley also supports the Centre for Social Justice, Britain's leading think tank, in its mission to see effective solutions to the poverty that blights parts of Britain and to help reverse the associated social breakdown.
The Foundation is sponsoring three Olympians and Paralympians in the London 2012 games; Jo Pavey, David Weir MBE and Simeon Williamson, and Berkeley is also a longstanding supporter of the British Paralympic Dressage Team.
In addition, the Berkeley Group funds medical research into multiple sclerosis and supports a number of local causes.
Finally, Berkeley encourages its directors and staff to get involved in supporting local community activities and this will continue as a main objective of the Berkeley Foundation.
About the Charities Supported
Shelter
Shelter works to alleviate the distress caused by homelessness and bad housing. It does this by giving advice, information and advocacy to people in housing need.
Shelter cannot house you, but can give confidential help to people with all kinds of housing problems. The charity tackles the root causes of bad housing by lobbying government and local authorities for new laws and policies, and more investment, to improve the lives of homeless and badly housed people. www.shelter.org.uk
The Lord's Taverners
The Lord's Taverners is the official charity of recreational cricket and the UK's leading youth cricket and disability sports charity.
Sport and recreation are essential for young people and the charity's mission is to give 'a sporting chance' to those in need. It achieves this by focusing on youth cricket in disadvantaged areas and sports and recreational equipment for young people with disabilities and special needs, including sports wheelchairs, specially adapted minibuses and sensory play areas. www.lordstaverners.org
Richard House Children's Hospice
Richard House Children's Hospice in Newham, east London, provides care and support for life-limited children and children with complex healthcare conditions and their families from across east and north east London. It accompanies them during the child or young person's journey, creating positive experiences along the way that become good memories for the future. www.richardhouse.org.uk
Princess Alice Hospice
Princess Alice Hospice helps relieve pain and control patients' symptoms with free end of life card and high quality nursing. Even in the last stage of illness, it aims to give all patients the best possible quality of life. Through its education and research activities it also works to improve end of life care across the UK. Fundraising and community support are crucially important to their continued work as a charity. www.pah.org.uk
