Dame Helen Mirren shows her support for the Surviving Winter Appeal

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Sir Terry Wogan supports CFN's Surviving Winter appeal

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Sir David Jason lends his name to the Surviving Winter appeal

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Ann Widdecombe supports Surviving Winter appeal

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Denise Robertson backs the campaign

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Sir Michael Parkinson backs Surviving Winter appeal

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Dame Cleo Laine lends her support to the appeal

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Dickie Davies endorses the appeal

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Bill Roache backs the appeal

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Jonathan Dimbleby contributes his Winter Fuel Payment

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Community Foundations Network

CFN is the national body of community foundations.

Community foundations are independent grant-making charities which encourage philanthropy and connect donors with local charities and community organisations working for positive social change.

Most people are only 20 minutes away from a community foundation-funded project. Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and all the English counties have community foundations actively responding to their needs

Community foundations work with donors, large and small, to make sure their gift makes the most impact. This distinctive and personalised approach to philanthropy means all kinds of donors engage community foundations to manage their funds – individuals, companies, charitable trusts and Government agencies.

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Stories of success

Surviving Winter appeal launched

Our Surviving Winter Appeal, backed by Saga, launched in November at the House of Commons. Surviving Winter is a UK-wide campaign to encourage people to make donations to help older and vulnerable people who cannot afford to pay their fuel bills. Denise Roberston (second from left) and Dickie Davies (centre) are among many celebrities backing the campaign. With them are Ros Altmann (far left) of Saga, George Hollingbery MP and Martyn Lewis.

The campaign is inspired by individuals who want to donate their Winter Fuel Payment to support older and vulnerable people less fortunate than themselves.

Campaign coverage in the Guardian

Dame Vera backs fuel poverty campaign

Forces Sweetheart, singer Dame Vera Lynn, from Sussex, is backing the campaign

It is a shocking fact that fuel poverty effects many thousands of older and vulnerable people in Sussex, and this campaign is a fantastic way for people to help those who cannot afford to pay their fuel bills and will be at risk this winter. I would encourage everyone who can afford to donate all or part of their Winter Fuel Allowance to consider doing so.

Money floods in to help older people pay their heating bills

Norfolk pensioners Geoffrey and Phyllis Spinks receive a grant towards the cost of heating oil - just one of the thousands of grants that have been made to some of the UK's neediest older people, as money floods in to our appeal. The couple, whose home has no mains gas, are at the mercy of rising oil prices, and bills have increased more than threefold in the last four years, while their Winter Fuel Payment has been reduced.

Helping the isolated

Just in time for Christmas, Dorset Community Foundation provided crisis funding to an 80 year-old partially sighted widow threatened with having her sole source of heating and cooking turned off. A grant of £500 has prevented this and enabled her to spend Christmas Day at a care home's 'Open Christmas.'

View all our stories of success

“I feel much more fulfilled as a social entrepreneur than I ever did in the years spent making money. Having earned it, I now return it. Giving and the service of others is making my fortune significant, and it seems as if the more I give away, the richer my life seems to become.”
Dame Stephanie Shirley, UK Ambassador for Philanthropy

Community Foundation Network

Changing communities - transforming society

Changing communities - transforming society

Community Foundations Network