A snapshot view
Once when the six of us from the Women’s Trust Fund were eating in a local restaurant, the waitress asked “Now, what kind of a group outing is this. I always like to guess.” One of us quickly replied: “We’re social workers.” This seemed the most plausible explanation since we were all in jeans, all women and no one was wearing make up. It was certainly more believable than if we had said we are philanthropists who had inherited wealth, some of which we give to other women who wish to create positive changes in their own lives and in the lives of yet other women. ‘Social workers’ seemed to cover it nicely.
The Women’s Trust Fund was begun by two women in the 1980s. Over the past 25 years we’ve grown in number and evolved our direction and commitment to our charitable giving. We’ve funded individual women with grants up to £500, and women’s groups with grants up to £800. Individual grants have been given to a wide range of women who may be seeking support for further education, setting up a community newsletter, or training in alternative health therapies. The women’s groups we have supported include shelters and refuges, ethnic women’s centres, health information services and local organisations working with women at risk.
As a group of six women acting together, we feel we are capable of being more creative, more daring and more informed as charitable givers than any of us had ever been as individuals. It is a true privilege to be together in this very particular and effective way.
Because we are scattered all over the country, we meet only twice a year, but for a 24-hour period at each other’s homes on a rotating basis. These meeting dates are guarded very closely in our diaries. Usually we start with lunch on a Friday followed by our ‘Trust’ business, discussing and deciding on grant applications and developing ideas for the future. Later we have our evening meal, either cooked together or at a local restaurant.
Next morning we fit in a walk and then often discuss wider issues about financial management, ethical investment or other practical matters concerning money and giving. These discussions have helped us all a great deal, since money is not a subject easily shared with other friends in our daily lives.
