Responsibility / Charity

On Friday 3rd July, a fire broke out in a blocks of flats in Camberwell. Six people, including three children died. This block sits less than a hundred yards from the South London Gallery (Helen Starr is a patron). Over the last two years, the education team at the SLG have been working together on arts/play projects, funded by the National Lottery. In response to the tragedy, we have been mobilising a range of services for the families in the block who have been made homeless. There are over 200 people who have been affected including many families, whom we know. A respite centre in Bells Gardens community Centre is offering a range of services to support them, (see attached). Special thanks went to the Return to Glory specialists who donated their time to supporting the Laknal Charity Trust and working with the Education and Outreach Department of the South London Gallery in providing pampering, massage, beauty and reflexology to those affected by the fire.

The Irish Youth Foundation (UK) is a voluntary charity set up in 1989 by a small group of Irish men and women who were concerned about the consequences of heavy, sustained emigration from Ireland to Britain. In the decade of the 1980’s tens of thousands of young Irish people came to Britain to seek a new and better future, but many of these were unprepared for life in a different culture and environment. The IYF and its founders set out to raise money to support organisations and projects which aim to improve the lives of children and young Irish people under the age of 25 in both Britain and Northern Ireland who are socially, economically or culturally disadvantaged and assist them in leading a more integrated and fulfilling life. These projects provide help and support for the homeless, employment and training schemes, women and children escaping violence, young offenders and prisoners, drug rehabilitation, and cultural activities. Special thanks went to Return to Glory for donations of treatments and beautiful gift vouchers to raise money for the Irish Youth Foundation.

NCT offers support, information and friendship to parents and parents-to-be. They are very active in their local areas but their services are available to all. They host regular antenatal welcome evenings and monthly postnatal teas; publish a quarterly branch magazine, Special Delivery, and an annual Postnatal Directory, run weekly playgroups and fortnightly breastfeeding drop-in; and we organise quarterly NCT Nearly New Sales as well as other one-off events. With special thanks to Michelle Alexis of Return to Glory for providing pampering and pedicures to raise money and support the fundraising effort.

Richard House in east London provides vital respite care for children who are unlikely to reach adulthood and their families. Through tailored medical and respite care, we endeavour to create a home from home environment for these children, so that they can make the most of their precious time. All their services are provided completely free of charge to the families, and our location in one of London's least affluent areas means we are very much reliant on the continued generosity and interest of companies. Richard House endeavour to provide support for the families as well as the children, because 24 hour care can be hugely demanding. Special thanks went to Return to Glory working through KPMG for donating time and prizes for the fundraising efforts. We also hope to work with Richard House in the future to give time and treatments in the Hospice for mums.

Cystic Fibrosis is the UK's most common, inherited life threatening disease that seriously affects the the lungs and digestive system.

There is currently no cure. Each week, five babies in this country are born with Cystic Fibrosis and three young people loose their life to it. The proceeds raised are being split equally between the Cystic Fibrosis Trust UK and the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation USA, both registered charities. Aside from fundraising to find a cure, we will be starting a campaign to make CF testing available freely as it is in America, Israel and Scotland. Special thanks went to the Return to Glory therapists donating their time in treatments to help fundraising efforts.