The FSP Foundation

FSP foundation

Welcome to The FSP Foundation

We are a registered charity set up in 2018. Although we receive most of our funds from Field Seymour Parkes LLP (‘the firm’), we are actually a separate and independently run organisation. We use funds given to us by the firm and generated through our own fund-raising activities to support charities local to us.

The FSP Foundation is one of the ways the firm supports and gives back to its home town and region. While the firm’s client base is increasingly geographically diverse, our people mostly live in or close to Reading. We all want to support our region and give back to the community which in turn supports us. Having a separate charity to do this is one of the ways we can ensure the firm’s people can see and get involved in a wide range of worthwhile causes in our area.

Who do we support?

We primarily help smaller charities which are active in Reading and the Thames Valley. These charities may also be active elsewhere, but they must be providing some benefit to our local community.

Following consultation with the firm’s employees and partners, we particularly focus on helping charities supporting four particular causes:

  • homelessness and poverty relief
  • mental health
  • children and young adults; and
  • physical health and disability.

Often we find that the charities we support provide help which covers several of these categories combined.

What do we do?

We have a committee comprised of a range of employees across the firm. The committee reviews requests for funding from charities and determines whether we can support them and if so, with what amount of grant.

All donations given to The FSP Foundation go to charities which are independent of the firm and which we have reviewed to ensure they are appropriately established and managed.

We select charities from proposals made by people within the firm – often these requests relate to causes close to their own heart. Our committee members also seek out appropriate charities from their own research which fit with the aims and intentions of The FSP Foundation. Our only regret is that we are not able to assist every charity, no matter how deserving the cause.

Each charity we support has a primary contact within the committee so we can better understand their needs and situation. Where possible, we like to follow up with the charities to see how they are continuing to support the community. Our committee members enjoy visiting the charities to see the great work they are doing.

Funding

Most of our funding comes directly from the partners of the firm, but we also get involved in fund-raising activities to boost our finances and increase the work we are able to do. 100% of funds we receive go to charity – any running costs involved in The FSP Foundation are met by the firm.

Fundraising also gives us an opportunity to have some fun. You can see some examples of our activities here.

What have we done?

The joy of the FSP Foundation is looking at the many charities we support and their achievements. Following are just some examples of the amazing work being done in our area that we, in our small way, have been able to help:

  • food banks and night shelters
  • befriending older people, including those experiencing additional isolation during the pandemic lockdowns
  • provision of adapted IT equipment and training for people with visual impairments – many of whom were additionally impacted and isolated during lockdowns
  • a children’s hospice
  • counselling for children affected by domestic abuse

Seeing the extraordinary kindness and commitment of so many people in our area makes us proud to be part of such a caring community. It’s a privilege for us to be able to help them and we love to hear back from our supported charities with news of how their projects are progressing.

 

 

 

 

FSP Foundation. Charitable registration number: 1179475. Registered address: Field Seymour Parkes, 1 London Street, Reading RG1 4PN.