Left to right: David Fitzpatrick, Chief Executive of Hertfordshire Community Foundation (HCF), The Mayor Cllr Aislinn Lee, Graham Lane President of the Chamber of Commerce and Daniel Goodwin Chief Executive Officer of St Albans City and District Council
The Mayor, Councillor Aislinn Lee announced the details of the Mayor’s new Bursary Fund for young people coming out of local authority care, at her Civic Service at the Cathedral in St Albans on Sunday 16 October. The Fund will be administered by Hertfordshire Community Foundation. She appealed for local people to make a donation to the fund.
She is delighted to have already received the first donation of a cheque for £100 from Rob Ellingham, a film location manager who lives in St Albans and often brings film crews to the district.
The Mayor, Cllr Aislinn Lee commented “I consider our district to be one community, one big family. The Mayor’s Bursary Fund is a community fund which will be used to give bursaries and gifts to young people leaving care. There are many young people who do not have families to provide the special things young people need when they leave home. This community fund will step in and fill that gap.
“Having had close involvement with children in care as a county councillor, I feel that, although children are well supported whilst in care, when they leave, that special support that most children receive from their parents when they leave the nest, isn’t there for some young people.
“Gifts that the bursary fund might provide will not only be of a practical nature, but also symbolic of the acceptance of the young person into the life of the community as an independent individual. I want our young people to have a sense that the people of St Albans district care about them and support them in their transition to independent living. This is about celebrating a young person taking up their place as an adult member of our community.
“Gifts will be intended to support the purchase of items that young people leaving care would need when they enter independent life and may include items such as books, laptops, mobile phones, clothes to attend an interview or kitchen equipment. Gifts are not intended in any way to replace County Council services or funding; they are designed to be the equivalent of a family gift without strings or conditions.
“I would like to thank Rob for his generous donation to the Mayor’s Bursary and for being the very first to make a donation to this fund. He can be confident that this gift will be used well and hopefully will bring about a true transformation in a young person’s life – a feeling of belonging – a true belief that that they are a valuable member of our community and a realisation that they truly are cared for.”
Rob Ellingham, Member of the Guild of Location Managers (GLM) commented: “I am delighted to make a donation to the Mayor’s Bursary Fund following a number of filming activities in the district. It is my way of thanking the District Council, local businesses and residents for making me and the film crew so welcome, by putting something back into the community. We would like to thank the Mayor of St Albans and make a donation of £100 to her charity.”
David Fitzpatrick, Chief Executive of Hertfordshire Community Foundation (HCF) said: “I am really pleased that Hertfordshire Community Foundation has agreed to administer this new Bursary Fund for us. HCF has an excellent reputation, strong knowledge of local need and a long history of working with the Mayor’s office and St Albans City and District Council.”
To make a donation, please send a cheque to Hertfordshire Community Foundation (with a note on the back of the cheque stating that it is for the Mayor’s Bursary Fund).
Cheques can be sent to the Mayor’s Civic Officer, Alison Orde at:
St Albans City & District Council,
St Peter’s Street,
St Albans.
Herts. AL1 3JE.
Online donations can be made by visiting their website: and click on 'donate online', then select the 'Mayor's Bursary Fund'.
Cllr Aislinn Lee, The Right Worshipful the Mayor of St Albans City & District.
Contact for the Mayor’s office:
Alison Orde, the Mayor’s Civic Officer
Tel: 01727 819544 E-mail: mayoralty@stalbans.gov.uk
Contact for the press:
Davina Mansell, Information and Communication Officer
Tel: 01727 819316. E-mail: davina.mansell@stalbans.gov.uk
St Albans City and District Council
www.stalbans.gov.uk
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/StAlbansCouncil
Notes:
To find out more about The Mayor Cllr Aislinn Lee, visit her webpages: http://www.stalbans.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/mayorsoffice/mayor/
The Mayor’s Charities: http://www.stalbans.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/mayorsoffice/mayor/mayors-charities/
Lord Mayoralty Application 2011-12: http://www.stalbans.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/mayorsoffice/lordmayoralty/.
The Mayor’s diary: http://www.stalbans.gov.uk/council-and-democracy/mayorsoffice/engagements/
Listen to an interview with the Mayor on Radio Verulam: http://www.radioverulam.co.uk/mayor.html.