Jackie Wilkes, Philanthropy Manager at the Foundation, recently visited Knoll Community Association with Hayley Corker from the Lawson Endowment Fund. Below, she shares more about their visit.

Taking a donor to visit one of the charities they have supported is always a joy.

Hayley Corker from the Lawson Endowment Fund and I spent a wonderful afternoon at Knoll Community Association, which is based at St Richard’s Church on the Knoll Estate in Hove. To provide some context, the Knoll estate is in an area where unemployment rates are high and school attainment levels are very low, scoring highly on the Indices of Multiple Deprivation.

Despite being located in one of the most deprived neighbourhoods in Brighton & Hove, the centre is a hotbed of creativity and goodwill. We were lucky enough to be shown round by Ann Tizzard, the indomitable centre manager and Sarah Don one of the trustees. The centre has 67 active groups, all run by volunteers, and all run on shoestring budgets.

Over the last three years, they have seen an increase in people coming in for warmth and something to eat. The centre has a kitchen, stocked with tea and coffee, and often some homemade soup, bread and butter. Everyone is encouraged to help themselves.  They also have ‘20p sales’ where people can buy clothes or household essentials for 20p.

If Ann puts the word out, it’s not uncommon for donations to come in to help young people moving into the area furnish their homes with the unwanted items of others on the estate.  Hayley and I were only there for the afternoon, but the sense of community was heart-warming and something we could all learn from. The tea and cakes weren’t at all bad either!

Find out more about Knoll Community Association here.