A charity set up to support the people of Teesside has reached a significant milestone, raising £6 million since it was founded in 2011.
Andy Preston, who founded the charity with Tanya Garland in 2011, announced the achievement on stage at the charity’s Annual Ball at Hardwick Hall on Friday 4th October.
For 13 years, The Teesside Charity has provided a lifeline for young people, families, community groups, the homeless, those recovering from an addiction, the long-term unemployed, those living in poverty or living with a disability.
The Teesside Charity’s chair of trustees, Lee Bramley, said: “This is a remarkable achievement by all involved and we are so proud that the charity has been able to help so many people across Teesside.
“Working alongside local initiatives, schools and charities, our ethos is to help make Teesside a better place to live, work and do business. It never fails to amaze me how powerful the people of Teesside are when we combine our efforts.”
The £6 million milestone was reached thanks to the charity’s monthly and yearly donations from businesses and individuals.
Money has also come from their popular events across the region, including their sell-out Annual Ball which raised an incredible £81,500 this year and a total of £719,500 since 2011, as well as fundraising efforts by their supporters.
The money raised helped the charity launch its Hardship Fund in 2014. The fund was created to fight poverty, put food on tables, keep families and elderly people warm and ensure children have clean clothes and school uniforms. The fund has been in high demand since its launch and has supported thousands of families across Teesside.
Diane Williamson, charity manager, said: “We support bed poverty, fuel poverty, and food poverty, all sadly prominent in Teesside. This financial year, we have distributed more than £67,000 in hardship funding to 7,360 Teesside families so far.”
The Teesside Charity’s efforts don’t just stop there, in 2017 and 2018 the charity purchased two caravans including an adapted caravan based in Filey. To date, the charity has provided 700 families with a free of charge stay to relax and make memories.
A family that had the opportunity to stay at their caravan, said: “The holiday was fantastic and helped me and the girls make memories together with the time we have left with Lienee. This was quality time and thanks to The Teesside Charity we were able to do that, forever and always grateful.”
The charity also holds its Golden Giveaway yearly, where organisations can apply to receive funds for their projects which are decided by public votes. Since its launch, the charity has given £380,000 to a wide range of charities and initiatives.
Last year, the charity launched its first Christmas Toy Appeal and gifted presents to 2,500 children in Teesside who otherwise would wake up without a gift on Christmas day. Bringing back the Christmas Toy Appeal in 2024, the charity aims to reach even more children this year.
Formerly the Middlesbrough and Teesside Philanthropic Foundation, the charity’s key function is to financially support community groups and charities based within Teesside, which promote social wellbeing and provide support to those who find themselves at a disadvantage in the society they live in.
