The Old Mill Fund. Investing in brighter tomorrows, today
We created the Old Mill Fund so that we could build on many years of charity support across our offices and bring it together through our own charitable fund. It means that we can help respond to key local needs in the communities our staff and clients care about – supported by the expertise of our local Community Foundations who manage our fund.
19th March 2025
The Old Mill Fund brings the team together to support good causes and unsung heroes on our doorstep, it encourages our team to share their time and expertise with local charities.
Community Foundations are local charities that provide vital funding for small, local charities, supported by donors like Old Mill. They’re experts in local needs and have unparalleled knowledge of their local communities and charities. They provide high-quality philanthropy advice and manage The Old Mill Fund on our behalf, carrying out due diligence, awarding grants, and collecting feedback so we know we’re making the most impact possible and can share updates like these on the difference we’ve made.
Building brighter futures – helping young people to build skills, confidence and resilience and succeed at school and beyond.
Reducing rural loneliness –supporting activities that reduce loneliness and help to improve physical and mental health.
Strengthening communities – supporting projects that bring people together and build strong, supportive communities that help the most disadvantaged.
Loveable was set up to counter the social isolation and loneliness in the lives of learning disabled and autistic people in Somerset. They offer relationship support as well as a programme of social meetups, yoga sessions, a theatre group and a ‘DJ Club’.
They are currently running a popular DJ club project which they have been running for three months but need financial support now to ensure it can carry on. DJ Club is a monthly setting in which attendees can learn to mix, learn about making music, hang out with their mates, build confidence and self-esteem and learn something new which has not been offered to this community before. They have also linked up with the ‘Rhythm of the Night’ in Bristol, a club night run by and for people with learning disabilities. They go there monthly to meet their new friends, dance and enjoy the nightlife and are hoping that once their members have some DJ skills, they will be able to DJ at one of the Bristol nights. This grant will enable them to ensure the ongoing success of this project; to buy their own equipment for DJ lessons, DJ tutor hire, venue hire and minibus costs to get the individuals to the Bristol club night.
Chippenham Uniform Exchange is a dedicated, unified system of recycling school uniform in Chippenham, and the surrounding villages- an independent ‘one-stop shop’ to obtain preloved uniform for any child, any time, regardless of the school attended, and without shame or embarrassment. Uniform is provided for a voluntary donation to anyone that needs it.
Families Out Loud offer subsidised one-to-one professional counselling and support services to adults & teens aged 13-17 who are affected by the addiction, drug or alcohol, of a family member or friend.
Doorway is based in Chippenham and provides a drop-in for vulnerable adults experiencing homelessness or housing issues, providing food, washing & laundry facilities, activities, support and advice.
Moor Imagination Collective, founded in 2022 to establish a Community Hub in the former Methodist Church in Buckfastleigh (a relatively isolated rural town on the edge of Dartmoor). It aims to create a space where local people can come together for education, art, food and wellness activities, and to build a resilient community. Current activities include running a community cafe and community fridge, organising different arts activities including community weaving and mural projects. Any grant will go towards the costs of delivering these activities.
Action East Devon, a small organisation running mental health and wellbeing support services, working with children, young people and their families. They work in communities and schools in East Devon and have an experienced team of Wellbeing Workers. Specifically, they are seeking funding to continue their peer support groups and school mentoring for young people aged 11 to 25 with mental health issues.
Online: it’s easy to donate online as a one-off gift or by direct debit. You can scan the QR code below.
Remember to choose Gift Aid if you’re a UK taxpayer and your donation will be boosted by 25% at no extra cost to you.
Or you can contact the Community Foundation’s direct using the links below:
Somerset Community Foundation https://www.somersetcf.org.uk/
Wiltshire Community Foundation https://www.wiltshirecf.org.uk/
Devon Community Foundation https://devoncf.com/