Thirty Years of Generosity

Tonight Mark and I had the pleasure of stepping into The Randolph Hotel – not, I should add, one of our usual haunts, but certainly one we’ve long aspired to enjoy. And what a fitting occasion to find ourselves there: the 30th birthday celebration of Oxfordshire Community Foundation, held, quite perfectly, on Giving Tuesday.

The room was full of philanthropists, supporters and representatives from charities making a real difference across our county – people who don’t just believe in Oxfordshire’s potential, but quietly and diligently invest their time, money and talent to help unlock it. It was an evening full of warmth, commitment and a shared sense of possibility.

We were treated to a trio of excellent speeches.

Rhodri Davies, Founder of Why Philanthropy Matters, gave a thoughtful and generous reflection on the changing face of philanthropy. Former High Sheriff Mark Beard spoke with characteristic clarity about what local giving really means at its best. And Her Majesty’s Lord-Lieutenant, Marjorie Glasgow, offered a heartfelt tribute to OCF’s role in strengthening communities right across Oxfordshire.

I found myself grinning through most of it – in part because the speeches were genuinely uplifting, but also because the crowd included so many familiar faces. It was a joy to catch up with old friends, including charity CEOs I’ve come to know well over the years, each of them working at full stretch to serve the people who need them most.

Most of all, it was a chance to congratulate Zoe Sprigings, Kate Parrinder and the whole OCF team on the extraordinary impact they have achieved. Their work is grounded in a simple but powerful belief:

We improve lives and tackle inequality by investing in Oxfordshire’s dynamic charitable sector.

And they live this out every day.

OCF’s approach is as robust as it is compassionate. They bring a deep understanding of Oxfordshire’s hidden challenges – poverty tucked behind postcard landscapes, widening educational inequality, the crushing effects of loneliness and isolation – and they match that knowledge with trusted relationships across a network of grassroots charities and community groups. Every year, they invest around £2 million in grants, strengthening the organisations who are closest to the issues and best placed to help.

Their values, vision and mission set a gold standard in local philanthropy. They pool funds from philanthropists, businesses and the public sector so that generosity can go further, underpinned by strong governance, meticulous due diligence and inspiring impact reporting. For anyone who chooses to give through OCF, their contribution is held in exceptionally safe – and very capable – hands.

Thirty years of this kind of leadership is something to celebrate. And celebrate we did.

As we walked out into the crisp Oxford evening, Mark and I both felt genuinely uplifted. The problems facing our county are real and often stark – but so too is the commitment of those determined to meet them with compassion, insight and action.

Happy 30th birthday, OCF. Here’s to many more years of helping Oxfordshire shine its brightest.