On the evening of 10 November, Coutts will host the first Funding Network event in Manchester at Bridgewater Hall, Lower Mosley Street.
The Funding Network (TFN) is described as combining the fun of a ‘Dragon’s Den’ for charities and a charity auction. It supports small-scale projects and has so far raised over £2 million for more than 350 projects, both national and international.
The evening will be hosted by Dylan Williams, Managing Partner for Coutts in the North West and Maya Prabhu, Head of UK Philanthropy. It will feature a keynote address by Michael Oglesby, Chairman of the Bruntwood Group of Companies and the Oglesby Charitable Trust which is one of the North West’s major charitable giving organisations. Alongside this role he is also responsible for the community giving in Bruntwood which amounts to well over £1 million a year.
Five charities will then give presentations on their work and what they could do with £5,000. The presentations are firmly limited to six minutes and will be chaired by entrepreneur and philanthropist Dawn Gibbins. She has recently set up a new charity ‘The Barefoot Foundation’ aimed at creating activities, training and education to support individuals, organisations and societies in the UK and across the world.
The five charities presenting are: The Mustard Tree Freedom Project; Manchester Aid to Kosovo (MAK) Base and Community Centre; Genesis Sale Moor Youth Café; Child Protection Centre, Thai/Burma Border; and Primary Health Care in Nepal
Following the presentations and a performance by the Royal Northern College of Music, Dawn will then host a pledging session during which guests can pledge donations to the projects if they wish. This offers for donors a rare opportunity to give together with their peers in a productive and inspiring atmosphere.
Maya Prabhu, Head of UK Philanthropy at Coutts said: "Those who attend Funding Network events talk about the privilege of meeting inspiring, dedicated people working for social change, and their amazement at what relatively small amounts of money can help achieve and about their pleasure in helping contribute that money."
Dylan Williams added: "Coutts has a long association with supporting philanthropy and good causes. Through this partnership with The Funding Network, we look forward to helping support some of the terrific charities that do such good work in the North West."
Disclaimer
For further media information on Coutts contact: Steve Ainger, PR Manager, Coutts & Co on 020 7753 1255 or e-mail steve.ainger@coutts.com
Notes to Editors
Coutts & Co is the UK private banking arm of the Royal Bank of Scotland. The Royal Bank of Scotland Group is one of the world's largest banking groups.
The first Coutts & Co regional office to be opened was Eton in 1961. Today, Coutts & Co has regional offices in Birmingham, Bournemouth, Bristol, Cambridge, Cardiff, Chelmsford, Cheltenham, Eton, Exeter, Guildford, Hampshire, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, Milton Keynes, Newcastle, Nottingham, Oxford, Reading, Sheffield and Tunbridge Wells.
Coutts & Co offers clients a range of products and services covering sophisticated investment products together with expertise in trust and fiduciary services and UK tax and banking services. Coutts commercial banking arm also provides full banking service to UK businesses.
Coutts & Co is authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority. Coutts & Co Registered in England No 36695 Registered Office 440 Strand London WC2R 0QS
Call may be recorded.
