In December 2023, the Omaze Community raised an incredible £2,600,000 for NHS Charities Together in the London House Draw for our Biggest Ever Grand Prize: a £5,000,000 Chelsea Townhouse. And that’s not all. Beyond the huge national impact that money will have for NHS Charities Together, we’re over the moon to announce that the Omaze Community has made it possible for us to make a £25,000 donation to Kensington and Chelsea Foundation.
Despite being a highly affluent borough, more than 23% of Kensington and Chelsea neighbourhoods are among the poorest in England and Wales. The charity uses its extensive local knowledge and networks to support impactful projects that help local residents, connecting donors to the most vital issues in the community, such as poverty and isolation.
In 2021, Kensington + Chelsea Foundation’s research, ‘Poverty and Prosperity in Kensington + Chelsea’, identified the main inequalities in the borough as education, health and employment. In response to this it has established three funds which support projects addressing these specific needs – Improving Mental Health, Reducing Education Inequalities and Increasing Skills and Employment.
The £25,000 donated by Omaze could help to either:
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Fund a local mental health charity to set up social enterprises to train their members and offer them meaningful employment opportunities.
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Provide a daily 3-course table-service lunch reaching 1,200 vulnerable residents a year, with wraparound support services tackling issues such as addiction, mental health, and housing.
- Or offer a holistic support programme for 300 refugees and asylum seekers living with severe and complex mental health conditions as a result of their experiences.
Richard Briance, Chairman, Kensington + Chelsea Foundation said: "We would like to say a huge thank you to Omaze. Their generous donation will make such a difference. Giving to local charities is an important way to support the immediate community, this money will have a significant impact on the people who need help the most in our area.
“Last year, 95p in every £1 was spent on the Kensington + Chelsea Foundation’s charitable activity and the projects we funded reached over 21,000 residents with support and services providing a lifeline to those in crisis. Beyond funding, we research and improve awareness of key social issues affecting our community and bring charities together to network and collaborate.”
Matt Pohlson, Co-Founder and CEO, Omaze, said: “Everyone at Omaze is absolutely delighted we have been able to make a contribution to Kensington + Chelsea Foundation – which will help it continue its remarkable work supporting people affected by poverty and isolation in the area. I was honoured to visit one of their charity partners recently, SMART (St. Mary Abbots Rehabilitation and Training) and was very moved to witness the impact they have on this community first-hand.
"Omaze will continue to help more local causes in the areas where we host our house draws, wherever possible."
Whilst the London House Draw is now closed, you still have the chance to win a Luxurious House near Oxford, worth over £3,000,000, in the Cotswolds House Draw. And the best part? You'll be helping Great Ormond Street Hospital build a new Children’s Cancer Centre, to help beat childhood cancer once and for all.
So, what are you waiting for? Do something omazing today and enter now at omaze.co.uk.
