What is The Ideal Foundation?
Throughout the years we’ve given generously to companies and individuals who contacted us requesting raffle prizes for amazing charity initiates. When we grew from three to six venues and started employing 200 local people, Matthew Boyle, the owner of Ideal Collection was passionate to ensure Ideal Collection gave back to the local community in a bigger way.
In October 2013 Ideal Foundation was born. The strap-line ‘at work in the community’ underlines what the foundation focuses on – the community.
So far we have raised a grand total of:
£130,000.00
Correct April 2020
Community Roots – The First Project
After hearing Southampton Voluntary Services (SVS) lost funding for an allotment scheme, the Ideal Foundation paid £18,000 up-front to ensure the allotment could carry on.
Community Roots is a therapeutic horticultural scheme designed to concentrate and focus on those who are marginalised by society. Research has proven that getting outside can reduce stress levels and the feeling of isolation by nurturing friendships and improving confidence and communication skills.
The Community Roots project is volunteer-led and would simply not survive or be sustainable without the amazing team of volunteers, from the allotment assistants, mentors to administration assistants. All the volunteers bring a unique skill set, knowledge and attributes which synchronise together to assist, run and develop the project. The team meet twice a week on a Tuesday and Thursday.
In early 2016, Community Roots became SVS’s second most successful project. With 100% of long-term clients that in engage in the project weekly feeling that it creates a positive life impact.
The Murray Parish Trust
Not content, The Ideal Foundation started looking for another project to support. Motivated by personal experience, our Managing Director Oliver Weeks reached out to The Murray Parish Trust (TMPT). Who, as a trust raises money for the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit at the University Southampton Hospital.
A strong relationship was created and launched with a charity dinner at one of our former venues No.5 Bridge Street in Winchester. The kitchen team created a 4-course menu from ingredients sourced from within a 25-mile radius. The event sold out within a week and alongside the raffle, raised over £8,000 for the charity.
The Trust created by Jim Murray and Sarah Parish, who are both loved UK film and television stars have already raised £800,000. Their goal is to support children’s emergency services across the South of England by raising money and awareness to help projects at key trauma centres and enable pioneering research and provide life-saving equipment. In 2019 we raised over £30,000 for the trust, helping them with their project to build a new a new children’s paediatric hospital and we continue to support them and the causes they fight for.