Member Article

Hope 4 Kidz benefits from Ringtons gift

Hope 4 Kidz, a health charity based in Sunderland received an award of £7,120 from staff at Newcastle-based tea and coffee company Ringtons with match funding from the Ringtons Community Fund at the Community Foundation Tyne & Wear and Northumberland.

As the Ringtons Charity of the Year in 2015-16, £3,560 was raised through fundraising by staff at Ringtons’ head office in Byker, Newcastle and its factory in North Tyneside. The gift was match funded by the Ringtons Community Fund at the Community Foundation enabling Hope 4 Kidz to support even more young people.

The Sunderland-based charity supports the well-being of children and young people suffering from physical and mental disability or those who have been subject to long-term illness, abuse and poverty. The charity provides a range of services including additional care, respite support and practical training of essential life skills.

Vivien Watts, Chief Executive of Hope 4 Kidz said: “Our first beneficiary was a toddler from Wearside called Hannah McDonald. In 2008 she was gifted with an interactive fibre optic light system to help improve her quality of life and in the years since we have supported more than 2,200 children like Hannah, providing them with whatever they need to improve their lives, from fun-filled goody bags to expensive pieces of medical-related kit.”

Colin Smith, Managing Director of the Tea Packing Division of Ringtons, said: “Congratulations to the staff of Ringtons who raised such a fantastic amount for Hope 4 Kidz a very deserving charity which helps disadvantaged young people and their families in Sunderland receive the care and support they need. We’re delighted to be able to match fund the efforts of our staff members through the Ringtons Community Fund and ensure that more young people can receive the care they need in 2016 and beyond.”

Gill Lowing, Senior Philanthropy Advisor at the Community Foundation added: “We’re happy to support Ringtons staff by offering a £1 for £1 match from the Ringtons Community Fund at the Community Foundation to ensure that the money can go further, and more young people can benefit from specialist care and support in our region.”

Ringtons established an endowment fund at the Community Foundation in 1996 to ensure that the local community benefits from funding in perpetuity. The purpose of the fund is to support families, women, older people, those with disabilities and disadvantaged people.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Adam Lopardo .