In 2016/17, the Club will support LoveBrum, a charity based in the city that unearths and funds hidden gem projects helping to make Birmingham a better place to live and work.
The Club has a long tradition of aiding and helping to raise funds for various charities and worthy causes. The opportunity to link-up with an organisation that is for the greater good of the city and its people was considered the ideal match.
Last night, at a special Club event at St. Andrew’s – ‘An Evening with Gary Rowett’ – the partnership was announced. Blues manager Gary Rowett and his First Team backroom staff – Kevin Summerfield, Mark Sale, Kevin Poole and Darren Robinson – gave their backing as the details of the agreement were revealed at the dinner in the Legends’ Lounge.
Colin Tattum, Head of Media and Communications, at Birmingham City Football Club, said:
“We are delighted to confirm LoveBrum as one of our key charity partners. We have been aware of the fine work they have undertaken for some time now and how they have affected people’s lives so positively. We believe that through this agreement we can add our expertise, enthusiasm and support to ensure LoveBrum continues to go from strength to strength.
“As a Club we are committed to doing all we can to help charities and worthy causes, particularly in our home city and its environs – you could say we certainly ‘LoveBrum’.”
Launched at the start of 2015, LoveBrum has had a very successful first year, engaging major figures across the business community. Funded solely by its members and events, the aim of LoveBrum is to champion causes, projects and charities based in Birmingham that directly benefit the communities surrounding us.
LoveBrum comprises a network of businesses and members who all share the aim of enriching the city; from training councillors for bereaved parents to serving up food for the city’s homeless. Every few months, the members of LoveBrum get to vote for the causes that they want the charity to support. So far in 2015, LoveBrum has donated almost £20,000 to five very worthy causes.
“We are very honoured to have been chosen by Birmingham City Football Club, and that’s not just because I’m a fan,” said Tim Andrews, Chairman of LoveBrum and Managing Director of Hollywood Monster, sponsor of Birmingham City Ladies’ Team.
“Exposing the LoveBrum message to as many people as possible is crucial; we need more causes coming forward, more members signing up, and more money being raised. We have already helped five causes but our ambitions are bigger; we want to promote 40 causes and raise a minimum of £120,000 to fund 12 projects next year.”
Lily Mae Foundation was awarded £5,000 to fund the training of two trustees who will become councillors to bereaved parents, as well as an initial 100 hours of counselling support. Ups and Downs, a support group for children with Downs Syndrome and their families, was awarded just under £5,000 from LoveBrum, to help fulfill the needs of its rapidly growing membership including Makaton course training for Trustees and also the introduction of a Speech and Language therapist for small support groups.
Serve Our Brummies, which was set up to feed homeless people and those who have fallen on hard times in the city centre, was awarded £2,500 to continue its services for 12 months, which includes support, advice, clothing, and food. LoveBrum has also provided The Sampson Road Residents Association with £2,000 to reinstate the rewards and incentives for those involved in multiple community projects in Sparkbrook and beyond, like the Clean Medina litter campaign, which will now be taken to a wider area across the city.
The final cause supported by LoveBrum in 2015 is Homelands Festival, which has hosted an event at Sanctuary’s Homelands retirement living scheme in Birmingham, bringing together residents with children from the Perry Beeches Academy, and other groups across Birmingham. The project has been awarded £1,000 to hire the event marquee and provide food and drink for the 150 guests attending, all of whom will see the benefits of inter-generational activities and the importance of combating social isolation.
With memberships and events funding the causes, LoveBrum prides itself on nurturing strong corporate relationships to cover its additional costs.
Birmingham-based global technology publisher, Packt Publishing, has committed to supporting the charity by covering the cost of its Custard Factory office and its two employees, who focus on charity engagement and fundraising.
Birmingham City FC will now join the impressive line-up of corporate businesses who are supporting the charity. This list includes Prologis, eZe Talk, Irwin Mitchell, H-J Wealth Planning, Thompson & Co, Bitters N Twisted, and FleetMilne, as well as an additional eight companies signing up as service patrons. LoveBrum is also being chosen as beneficiary to some major business events in the city. Most recently, the Birmingham Awards, which took place last week.
“We still need more people to support LoveBrum; whether that be signing up as Patrons, Corporate Members or Individual Members. Whatever help you can give will help us raise more money for our causes. LoveBrum only supports local projects that deliver real change and together, we can really make a difference, and the best thing is that it’s our members who make the decisions so I would encourage everyone to get involved,” Tim Andrews continued.
There are a number of ways to get involved, including signing up as an individual member for just £20, which gives you the chance to vote for the causes that will be funded, as well as corporate sponsorship. To find out more, visit www.lovebrum.org.uk.