Wiltshire Community Foundation marks 50th birthday
The organisation has handed out over £26 million in grants since 1975
A Wiltshire organisation that's supported hundreds of thousands of people across the county is marking it's 50th year.
Wiltshire Community Foundation (WCF) has handed our over £26 million in grants to individuals and groups to help change lives.
It was founded in 1975, by Lord Joel Joffe, who worked alongside Nelson Mandela in the Rivonia Trial, with the vision of driving meaningful change within communities.
The concept saw businesses collectively pool charitable funds on the basis that they would achieve more as a group than individuals.
Joint-Chief Executive Fiona Oliver told Greatest Hits Radio that the organisation takes enormous pride in what it's achieved over the last half century.
She said: "We are so thankful to everybody that's helped make that happen, whether that's a fund holder that's given money, volunteers who've given time, partners who have given their skills and their knowledge, it is down to so many people across the county.
"We're right at the heart of the county and very proud to be so. So it's not just our achievement, it's everybody's achievement."
Among the many organisations that has been supported by WCF, one stood out to Fiona.
She told us about a £3,000 grant handed out in 2000 to a food bank scheme that was being piloted in Salisbury.
"That went on to be the Trussell Trust, which is now giving 33 million emergency food parcels out every year," Fiona said.
It underscores the power of a small bit of kindness and how it can transform the fortunes of a group or individual.
Fiona added: "We see a lot of kindness throughout the voluntary sector. We see people giving back to their local community, wanting to make a positive difference, but also feeling the rewards of being able to give, whether that's money, time or skill, there is something really rewarding about helping somebody in your local community out of a difficult situation."
She told us that the next 50 years will see the Foundation's work continue to grow.
"It's about listening and responding to local needs," she said, adding: "So if people and community groups are coming to us and highlighting a specific situation that they need to help with, or they've come to us with an idea, a concept for doing something just like the Trussell Trust did back in 2000, come to us with an idea for us to, to support and get behind, and maybe advise on, I'm sure that we'll be doing more of that."
Fiona told us they want to 'champion the voluntary sector' and build community resilience, giving everyone an opportunity to thrive.
She said: "The people that founded us were pretty brave and decided that's what they were going to do. I feel really passionately that that's what we've got to do for the next 50 years."