The Secret Millionaire

Berkshire Community Foundation is working with Sunday’s (31 October 2010 9.00pm C4) Secret Millionaire, Marcelle Speller, to bring Localgiving.com to Berkshire, an innovative method for giving online to local charities.

Unlike other online giving websites that only list charities large enough to be registered with the Charity Commission, Localgiving.com includes small community organisations vetted by Berkshire Community Foundation.

Dingley Family and Specialist Early Years Centre,Creativity in Sport and Rivertime are Berkshire groups amongst the first to join localgiving.com. 

Berkshire Community Foundation was the first community foundation nationally to go live onto Localgiving.com.  The foundation manages the distribution of funds to the local groups in Berkshire in conjunction with Localgiving.com, to ensure that each donation is appropriately spent by trustworthy charitable organisations, so donors can feel confident about the donations they make.

Marcelle Speller said “Berkshire Community Foundation shares my enthusiasm to maintain and generate funds to local charities across the Royal County, and the UK.  Our partnership, which extends some two years and during which the website was developed, means that Localgiving.com reflects the fundraising needs of small local groups in challenging times”

Andrew Middleton, CEO of Berkshire Community Foundation commented, “There is no doubt that these are unprecedented times for charities, community and voluntary groups both across Berkshire. With reducing donations/funding and more groups competing for limited funding streams, groups are often finding increased demands for their services and support at the same time.  All too frequently it’s the smaller local Berkshire based groups who lose out and these are the groups who benefit most from Localgiving.com”.

It is estimated that £9 of every £10 of charitable monies raised within Berkshire leaves the county. Localgiving.com will provide an easily accessible way to help local people find truly local groups to support on a range of issues and causes.

Berkshire groups can be found at www.localgiving.com/communityfoundation/berkshire.