Our Charitable Foundation
In 2020, InfraRed partners provided the initial capital to establish The InfraRed Charitable Foundation (“ICF” or “the Charity”) as a charity to operate independently to promote social inclusion. ICF’s purpose is to promote social inclusion for the public benefit by preventing people from becoming socially excluded, relieving the needs of those people who are socially excluded and assisting them to integrate into society; and relieving sickness and the preservation of health by making grants to fund medical equipment, facilities or services for public benefit.
With very encouraging early results, the Charity is currently trialling and funding the employment of Community Engagement Officers (CO’s) in secondary schools in areas of high deprivation or specific social issues. ICF believes CO’s can play a vital role in tackling inequality and supporting social mobility by supporting teaching staff in a variety of areas: these include the provision of food and mental health services to address behavioural issues, arranging after-school and out-of-term programmes, and employment and apprenticeship opportunities.
The Charity has deployed two grants to date, one to Frederick Bremer School in Walthamstow and the second to Oasis Academy Shirley Park in Croydon. Both schools are in areas that have been particularly hard hit by the cost-of-living crisis. Each school faces a unique set of challenges, and the Community Engagement Officers have adapted programmes to cater to the specific needs of the communities in which they work.
Grant provided in July 2023, Community Engagement Officer hired in October 2023.
The Community Engagement Officer has led various initiatives including:
– Securing regular donations of 11-13 crates of food per week for the community fridge, opening the fridge up to the public, and providing volunteer translation services
– Increasing parent engagement through cooking skills workshops, sessions for parents of SEN kids, bonding events
– Coordinating of the refurbishment of the community gardening, realising school student council’s design ideas and organising volunteers
– Building on the work in the community garden to develop a green education program
– Providing enhanced support via 1-on-1 sessions to kids who are routinely disruptive in class, decreasing the rate of disruptions, improving behaviour, and enabling personal progression
– Expanding sports program offerings to include boys basketball, boys football, and girls football
From left to right: Edward Glover (trustee of ICF), Richard Crawford (Partner, InfraRed), Chloe Levin (Chair of Community Engagement Committee), Ernest Eghan (grant recipient at Frederick Bremer school), John Grumbar (trustee of ICF), and Andrew McErlane (Vice Chair of Community Engagement Committee). Pictured at the community fridge outside of Frederick Bremer School.
Grant provided in March 2024, Community Engagement Officer hired in June 2024.
Oasis Academy Shirley Park experienced two student deaths as a result of knife crime, and so the school is focused on a prevention programme to proactively identify vulnerable students. More detail on specific programmes coming soon.
We are delighted to support the Charity in many ways: these include active liaison between the schools and the Charity trustees in relation to the negotiations and monitoring of grants; providing volunteer help to the Community Engagement Officers; engaging our portfolio businesses and their supply chains to support programmes being run by the Community Engagement Officers.
Of course, continuing fundraising is vitally important to the Charity. Since 2016, InfraRed has run an annual charity dodgeball event, where teams from across our network of business partners compete – in fancy dress – raising more than £190,000 for good causes. Since 2023 and going forwards, the sole beneficiary of the event will be The InfraRed Charitable Foundation. If your organisation would like to take part in the next event, please email: dodgeball@ircp.com.
Apart from supporting a very worthy cause, our flagship Dodgeball event brings our people and our network together for an evening filled with fun.
In addition to its current focus, the Charity has provided grants to organisation’s that align both with its constitutional objectives and InfraRed’s vision of tackling Social Exclusion.
£80k grant to Switchback
Supporting young men to find their way out of the justice system and build a stable and rewarding life.
£80k to Working Chance
The UK’s only employment charity focused solely on helping women with convictions to unlock their potential.
£50k to Magic Breakfast
Addressing food insecurity by providing funds for breakfast clubs, so that no child is too hungry to learn.
