Thanks For Giving Day 2008
18 November 2008

On 18th November, the Beacon Fellowship welcomed the 2008 prize winners as new Fellows during its Annual Meeting, hosted for the second time by Coutts & Co.

Guests were welcomed by John Barwick on behalf of Coutts, and Martyn Lewis CBE on behalf of Beacon. Martyn explained the origin of Beacon, which was launched by the then Chancellor, Gordon Brown, in 2003.

He described the Fellowship Prize as “the Nobel Prize for charities, a celebration of great people who are doing great things in very many parts of the country.” Marty then introduced Beacon Fellow Dame Stephanie Shirley. Dame Steve is a highly successful entrepreneur turned ardent philanthropist. Her Shirley Foundation is now one of the top 50 grant giving foundations in the UK with £50 million in grants given over the past seven years. Dame Steve has been a great supporter of Beacon and was one of the first Beacon prize winners in 2003. Over lunch, Debbie Burton, Policy Manager for Youth Volunteering and Giving at the Office of the Third Sector in the Cabinet Office, presented an update on the government’s strategy to encourage a culture of giving.

• working in partnership with a wide range of stakeholders to extend opportunities to give across society;

• working with charities to promote tax effective giving;

• working with young people to ensure that the culture of giving is developed at an early age; and

• working with employers and employees to foster new approaches to social investment.

As lunch drew to an end, guests were asked to contribute their own ideas on what could change the culture of giving in the UK.