 The beginning of a New Year seems a good time to up-date everyone with the activities and current direction of Give it Away and to reflect on the final outcome of the house building project in Putney. I hope you will visit the rest of the web site and see the project as it unfolded together with the pictures of those who benefited.
I was delighted and quite surprised that ultimately I was able to distribute £705,000! All three houses achieved the asking price which was higher than I anticipated when I began the project. This final sum of money was also much assisted by the generosity of suppliers and manufacturers who were good enough to give me some meaningful discounts together with those who gave of their time and expertise without cost.
The “giving away” process is now complete and has been both rewarding and emotional. As the saying goes, “one person cannot change the world but you can change the world for one person.” I know that I have been fortunate enough to be able to have done that. I have attended many events recently, invited by the Charities I have supported and it is a wonderful experience to meet the families whose lives have been changed with, for example, the delivery of a motorised wheel chair for their child. To watch Fatima racing around a House of Lords reception in her new pink Barbie Whizz-Kidz chair with a new found independence was a lovely moment!
I have also undertaken a few individual projects with the Charities I have funded and was delighted that at Fairbridge we were able to link up with the RSPCA and make a film, produced and directed by the young people of Fairbridge about the responsibilities of “dangerous” dog ownership about which there is much concern currently. They produced a very mature and hard hitting documentary which we hope can be used by the wider community. It was also a personal achievement for those taking part who were looking to make a change in their lives by doing something worthwhile and positive.
I continue to be a Patron of “Yes to Life” and it was a touching moment in the summer of 2008 when my father of 88 diagnosed with throat cancer was able, through the help and support of Yes to Life, to receive pioneering treatment at UCLH with Mr Hopper and his team. I never thought that my own project would end up personally helping a member of my family.
Other projects have also put my money to work – the Treehouse Trust, a school for autistic children now has a new gym and library in their brand new building; Actionnaires clubs for partially sighted and blind children are still able to offer sports facilities in local leisure centres and families being helped by React and the Westminster Children’s Society continue to benefit. Polka Theatre in Wimbledon ran a second “Free Falling” summer school and I attended some interesting alternative versions of Macbeth and King Lear! I was also asked to speak at a local conference on Philanthropy and I hope that I was able to motivate some of the audience to get out there and take part!
 The current economic climate does not encourage me to launch another building project yet but I do intend to start looking for possible projects in the coming months. Meanwhile I will continue to support the Charities I am linked with in any way I can - all their details are on the web site.
This web site now really tells the whole story from start to finish except that I hope it is not quite finished yet! I would like to make it to that elusive £1milllion give away – I will need some luck and some more hard work I think!!
Charlotte Grobien |
I need to earn some more money for my Charities!! So the profit on the monthly rentals will be “given away” as will the capital gain on the sale whenever that takes place. I am still committed to giving away £1 million and I hope this venture will help! To date the total donated is £705,000!
