Groundbreaking philanthropist Fred Mulder was today announced the winner of the Judges' Special Beacon Prize. He was chosen by an independent panel of judges for his outstanding contributions to charity.

Fred was chosen for his enormous generosity and innovative initiatives that have resulted in millions of pounds being given to good causes. Fred used much of his income as an art dealer for the good of others, giving to charity in a range of unusual ways and persuading other rich individuals to give their money to charity and to enjoy it. He has helped to found two institutions, The Network for Social Change and The Funding Network, both of which encourage individuals to become involved with social and charitable causes.

Fred has used his entrepreneurial skills to introduce business clients to charitable giving. He has resolved deadlocked business transactions by offering to give a charity, with the client, the difference between his price and that which the client was offering to pay. He frequently uses this method to introduce new people to philanthropy. He has recently expanded this idea with his own private collection of art by giving, not selling, a work of art to a client and then asking them to give away its value in return. In this way, he has helped to make philanthropists out of people who might never previously have seen themselves as such. Organisations that Fred has directly helped include Oxfam, Greenpeace and the Jubilee debt campaign.

Emily Stonor, Chief Executive of Beacon, said "Fred has done far more than donate much of his income to charity, he has helped alter other people's perceptions towards charitable giving. He has helped to open the eyes of his peers, and provided numerous small charitable organisations lacking a public platform the means to carry out their vital work."

Fred added, "Giving money is one of the few things people do alone.  We work together, eat together, dance together, and I've discovered that giving with others is more interesting, more effective and certainly seems to make money go further.  That's why I've helped to set up structures in which people can give together and learn from each other. I love dealing with works of art, but if I weren't an art dealer I'd want to be working with social justice issues; using my profits to help fund what I believe in is immensely satisfying."

The Beacon Prize celebrates and raises the profile of charitable giving in the UK by giving recognition to those who have made a significant contribution to charity, whether through giving resources, time or specialist skills. Fred is one of the 2004 Beacon Prize winners, who also include Sir Bob Geldof and Jamie Oliver.

For further information please contact Jennifer Morgan on 020 7861 8609 or email jmorgan@bell-pottinger.co.uk. or Emily Stonor at Beacon on 020 7849 6550 or email emily.stonor@beaconfellowship.org.uk

ENDS

Note to Editors

BEACON PRIZE 2004

Dr Frederick Mulder for his contribution to pioneering, innovative approaches in the field of philanthropy

Prize Category: Judges' Special Prize

Dr Frederick Mulder has leveraged millions of pounds through imaginative risk taking, creative business deals and initiatives to encourage others to become philanthropic themselves. He is an inspiring role model who has made the process of giving both interesting and appealing.

Since the early 1980's Fred has looked for inventive ways to use his money.  After Greenpeace's ship, the Rainbow Warrior, was sunk in Auckland Harbour Fred suggested that, as they were constantly on the news, they use advertising as a means of attracting new members.  He took the risk of underwriting £10,000 for an advertising campaign which he insisted be placed on the front pages of newspapers alongside news about Greenpeace. The ads were extremely successful and Fred has since helped others, such as the Anti-Apartheid movement, fund similar campaigns.

Fred has developed ways of introducing business clients to charitable giving. As an art dealer, he often suggests to clients that they give the difference between his price and the client's offering price to charity. He has recently expanded this idea with his own private collection of art by giving, not selling, a work of art to a client and then asking them to give away its value in return. He has even used personal disputes to give creatively. For example, he allowed neighbours perpetual access to his land in exchange for a donation of £25,000 to Oxfam from each (contributing the same himself), raising just under £130,000 in total.

Fred has also been instrumental in the establishment of two institutions, the Network for Social Change (NSC), the first giving circle of its kind in the UK, and The Funding Network (TFN), an organisation open to all for the support of social change.  The NSC is an organisation for wealthy individuals who are extremely active in social change giving; established in 1985 it has over 100 members and gives away about £700,000 a year.  Launched in 2001, TFN has raised over £650,000 in approximately 100 grants averaging £5,000, mainly to small organisations without a public platform. It has brought many people together who are new to philanthropy and is already being replicated in Bristol, Edinburgh and Cambridge, as well as discussed in Sydney and Toronto.

"Fred has introduced people who would never have thought of themselves as philanthropists to a uniquely novel way of giving to. In addition, and this cannot be over estimated, Fred has opened up a new opportunity for those with charitable causes, large and small, to interact in the public domain." Edward Posey , The Gaia Foundation

"Fred has always looked for and encouraged new models of giving to Oxfam.  He seeks to ensure maximum leverage of donations, networking opportunities and the introduction of new donors.  Oxfam is very grateful for his support and fully endorses his nomination for the Beacon Prize in 2004" Malcolm Fleming, Head of Fundraising Partnerships, Oxfam

Beacon Fellowship Charitable Trust

The Beacon Fellowship Charitable Trust (Beacon) seeks to promote an improved culture of giving, in which it is natural for those who are best able to contribute to charitable and social causes, to use their time, energy, ability and resources for the public good.

The Beacon Prize is an annual awards scheme designed to recognise and showcase individuals who have made exceptional contributions to charitable or social causes.  The winners are likely to have helped create or transform a charity, project or cause through providing leadership, skill, time or money.

www.beaconfellowship.org.uk for press releases and biographies of the winners

Beacon Prize Winners 2004:

• Sir Bob Geldof - Leadership
• Dr Mohammad Amran - Community Builder
• Rosalind Portman - New Initiatives
• Professor Peter Guthrie - Creative Giving
• Bruce Crowther - Creative Giving
• Brigadier Peter Stewart-Richardson - Risk Taking
• Jake Bonsall - Young Philanthropist
• Jamie Oliver - Most Generous Celebrity
• John Studzinsky - Most Generous Business Leader
• Francesca D'Arcy - Most Generous Young Person
• Major Richard Carr-Gomm - Lifetime Achievement
• Sigrid Rausing - Judges' Special Prize
• Dr Frederick Mulder - Judges' Special Prize Ann Cotton - Judges' Special Prize
• Dr Mora Scott - Scotland
• Sir David Rowe-Beddoe - Wales
• Dennis Humble - England
• Niall Fitzduff - Northern Ireland