Member Article

£270,000 Boost for Beacon

A TRUST fund set up by a late shipping magnate has donated £270,000 to the Beacon of Light.

The Sir James Knott Trust has been a long-term supporter of the Foundation of Light, and its latest donation will be used in the first phase of construction of the Beacon, which started in October.

Since 1990 the Trust has made nearly 8,000 grants totaling more than £25 million, many of them to charities known to have been of keen interest to Sir James Knott.

Trust Secretary Vivien Stapley said: “We’ve supported the Foundation of Light’s education programmes for many years, and seen first-hand how education can change the lives of children and their families in the north east.

“When the Beacon was announced, we were keen to get involved. It will be a landmark and inspirational building and what really interested us, was its all-inclusive approach to families.

“The idea of generations of the same family learning together is one that really excites us. Giving people the best possible opportunity in life, to prepare for the best opportunities in life, is one that really resonated with us.”

The striking cube-shaped development will be the first building of its kind in the country and house education and training facilities with an indoor football pitch above.

When they enter the Beacon, visitors will be presented with a busy street along which the various activities will interconnect. Inspirational and motivational zones for education, the world of work, health and wellbeing, sport and play will combine together with excellent views into a sports arena.

Sir Bob Murray CBE, Chair of Trustees for the Foundation of Light, added: “The Foundation of Light is enormously grateful to the Sir James Knott Trust for their support over many years, and we are hugely appreciative of their belief in the Beacon of Light and their generous donation of £270,000.

“The Beacon of Light will help people to learn more, do more and be more. It will help families learn together and acquire new skills, will encourage generations of the same family to participate in more sport and do more to improve their overall health and well-being.”

The Foundation has already raised a large proportion of the £18m build costs and is confident it will secure the remaining funds in the coming months. The Beacon will open in 2018 and welcome more 300,000 people each year.

The Sir James Knott Trust, established in 1895, ensures Sir James Knott’s philanthropy in the region still continues today. It is a registered charity, supporting community projects in Tyne and ˆWear, Northumberland and County Durham including Hartlepool.

The Trust aims to help improve the conditions of people living and working in the North East of England. Special consideration is given to charitable activities known to have been of particular interest to Sir James Knott including maritime and military, youth clubs, projects to help the elderly, education and training.

The award-winning Foundation of Light was established in 2001 and uses the power of football to educate, inspire and motivate. One of the largest and leading sports charities in the UK, it has an excellent track record of working with children, young people and their families.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by James Burman .