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Government Matches Staff Fundraising for Local Charities

The Government is matching the fundraising efforts of staff at Chelmsford accountants, Baker Tilly. Staff have responded to the Government’s Grassroots Grants Endowment Match Challenge by raising nearly £3,000 to support local charities.  However, thanks to the Grassroots Challenge this figure has been boosted to £4,500 and this will be added to the Baker Tilly Charitable Fund, managed by Essex Community Foundation.

To raise the money, the staff held various fundraising events; from baking and selling cakes to a race night.  One member of staff raised more than £700 from a week long sponsored silence.

John Barnes is a Partner at Baker Tilly.  In presenting the cheque to Essex Community Foundation, he said, “We are so pleased with the way that the staff have taken up the Challenge to raise money for the Fund.  They have all worked hard organising events and hopefully have had some fun along the way.”   He added “Grassroots has been a great incentive to our fundraising as we have been able to significantly increase the amount raised”.

Under Grassroots all individual donations which are gift aided can be almost doubled and corporate donations can be uplifted by 50%.   When the Grassroots programme ends in March 2011, the Baker Tilly Charitable Fund will distribute grants in perpetuity to local charities.

The Baker Tilly Charitable Fund was established in March 2008 with an initial donation of £5,000 from the Partners and a challenge to the staff to match this amount through fundraising activities.