FoundationHighlightsEdition 91 l May 2016

The power of partnership

May 2016 2dmthomasfoundation.org

Welcome to the May edition of Highlights, our monthly newsletter.

This month we want to celebrate you, our wonderful supporters, and the many incredible ways you help to transform young lives. We are constantly impressed by the sheer number and variety of fundraising ideas that you come up with, so we have listed the ten craziest fundraising events and challenges that you have taken in the name of our charity. You can also read an interview with Daniel Brennan, last year’s winner of the Mayfair Power and Tower Race, a gruelling 5km run around Hyde Park, followed by a dash up 28 flights of stairs to the incredible views of Galvin at Windows restaurant – all to raise money for our into-work programme, Galvin’s Chance. We hope Daniel’s amazing feat inspires you to take up the next challenge on June 3!

To show the impact that your support for the Foundation has on individual children’s lives we bring you the story of Aarohi, a young girl with cerebral palsy whose life has been transformed by Fergi, her beautiful assistance dog. With Fergi’s help, Aarohi is now ABLE to be much more independent.

Thanks to your fundraising we have been able to provide over £16 million in grants to make a difference in the lives of young people across the UK and Europe. Our last two grants will support two fantastic projects, musical therapy for children with complex disabilities, and a new into-employment programme for disadvantaged young people in London. These two inspiring initiatives will help many young people be ABLE to fulfil their potential.

We are committed to helping young people who face barriers to employment; providing them with the training and opportunities so they are ABLE to secure employment. One of the ways we do this is through Galvin’s Chance, which offers young people industry-led training and work placements for a front of house career in some of the most prestigious hotels and restaurants. Last week I was delighted to attend the latest Recruitment Day for our programme, where the next group of candidates to enrol were selected. It was a fantastic event, kindly hosted by London Hilton on Park Lane, at which we also celebrated the success of our last graduates by awarding their certificates of completion.

This May we are also preparing for the summer and the many glamorous charity balls and fundraising events that come with it. We are specially looking forward to our fun community event, Around the World in a Day. We already have a number of schools and business partners signed up to hold Around the World in a Day events in June. If you are free, you could also join me and the team at Mile End Park on June 19th for our signature AWD event. This fantastic initiative is now in its 10th year and has raised over £750,000 to help young people across Europe.

I do hope that you enjoy this edition of Highlights. Thank you for your ongoing support.

Simon

Simon Sheehan, Director

Director’s message

May 2016 3dmthomasfoundation.org

Cover story: A dog for Aarohi

“He is the one positive thing about my disability”, says Aarohi about Fergi, her beautiful assistance dog from Dogs for Good, a charity to which the Foundation has awarded more than £234,000 since 2005.

Aaorhi is 12 and has cerebral palsy, a condition which has an impact on her whole body. She can’t use her arms and legs, her co-ordination and balance are severely affected and it also makes speaking and being understood difficult.

Mum Suranjana explains, “Aarohi needs help with all the every day physical things like eating and dressing which most 12 year olds take for granted. But she’s a highly intelligent, motivated girl who is doing really well academically.”

“Her father and I are constantly fighting to make her needs and her feelings known both at school and to medical professionals and it’s exhausting. We felt we were permanently focused on negative things.”

Suranjana knew how much Aarohi would love a dog of her own, but had no idea how the gorgeous Golden Retriever would bring such delight to all three of them.

“Aarohi has always loved dogs and longed for one herself,” she says, “in fact I kept the fact I’d applied for a dog for her fa secret, because I knew we might have to wait quite a while.”

But the secret slipped out and Aarohi was ecstatic. Every morning she asked “When is the dog going to come?” Finally the great day arrived when, after training with Fergi at Dogs for Good’s Banbury HQ, they took him home.

“Fergi is trained to walk alongside Aarohi’s wheelchair,” explains Suranjana. “He picks up anything she drops, brings the TV remote or her slippers when she points to them, helps her take off her gloves, socks and coat and opens doors and drawers for her.”

But Fergi has contributed far more than the physical help and independence he gives Aarohi. There’s a wonderful happy and relaxed atmosphere in the house, which Suranjana attributes to the Fergi effect.

“Just two weeks after Fergi arrived it was Aarohi’s birthday and she said she didn’t need any presents - Fergi is the best present she’s ever had!

We all go for walks together now, something we never did before. Nothing gives Aarohi more pleasure than taking Fergi for a walk, whatever the weather.

Fergi is a real character, with a very cheeky side. The first time we bathed him, he had us in hysterics. Aarohi laughed so much she fell off her stool. We’ve never had so much fun as a family before, he’s given us all a new positive focus”.

May 2016 4dmthomasfoundation.org

Supporting musical therapy for children with complex disabilities

This month the Foundatoin has awarded a grant of £8,837 to Soundabout, a Buckinghamshire charity that uses music, rhythm and sound to give disabled children and adults a voice. The grant will be used to purchase specialist musical equipment for children and young people with severe physical and learning disabilities.

The new equipment will include iPads and different fun musical instruments like tambourines, hand drums or egg shakers, which will be used in creative musical play. The grant will also fund new Soundbeams, ‘touch free’ devices which use sensor technology to translate body movement into music and sound. The Soundbeams are particularly important pieces of equipment for children with very restricted physical movement, as it allows them to create music and express themselves with the most subtle physical movements, like a blink or an eyelid flutter.

Jacqui Malone, CEO of Soundabout, said:

“The team here at Soundabout were delighted to be awarded funding support to buy much needed musical equipment for the children and young people with severe and profound learning disabilities we work with. This money will now ensure that a number of music projects can go ahead this year and in 2017. We would like to say thank you to the trustees at DM Thomas Foundation for Young People for supporting our work. Thank you”

Simon Sheehan, Director of the DM Thomas Foundation for Young People, said:

“Through our work we are able to support some great charities like Soundabout. We are impressed by the huge impact that their music programmes can have in the lives of young people with disabilities.”

May 2016 5dmthomasfoundation.org

New employment programme for young people in London

This month we have also granted £8,000 to the Somerville Youth & Play Provision, a charity based in New Cross, London, that provides youth support services for local young people.

The grant will allow the creation of an IT suite with 10 computers where “job clubs”, CV preparation workshops, and job searches will be held. The into-employment programme targets local young people from low-income families and minority ethnic groups.

Bradley Cummings, Director of the charity, said:

“The grant will enable us to purchase equipment to run new targeted employability workshops and practical support programmes for young people who most need it. The programmes will provide experiences that raise aspirations - through apprenticeships, volunteering opportunities and mentoring sessions and help young people to overcome barriers to employability such as poor communication skills, low self-esteem and a lack of awareness of their skills and strengths.’’

Simon Sheehan, Director of the DM Thomas Foundation for Young People, said:

“At the Foundation we believe that every young person should be able to fulfil their potential by having access to the best possible education and training opportunities. The Somerville Youth & Play Provision provides disadvantaged young people with invaluable into-employment support, and we are extremely proud to partner with them.”

Donate today and help us change the lives of thousands of disabled, sick or disadvantaged young people.

Click on the button on the right and help us to transform young lives. Thank you.

Donate now

May 2016 6dmthomasfoundation.org

The Right Course holds its second pop-up restaurant

Last week HM Prison YOI/Isis hosted the second pop-up restaurant of The Right Course, the Foundation’s new into-work initiative spearheaded by Fred Sirieix. The Right Course seeks to transform staff restaurants in prisons into high street like operations using existing facilities and equipment and at no cost to tax payers. The restaurants will be run by prisoners for the benefit of all in the prison system. The Right Course is driven by the concept that hospitality is about always giving first and generously. Reaping the rewards will always come as result but it will come as a consequence of self belief, hard work and discipline.

Following the first, successful pop-up restaurant in December, the second pop-up restaurant was run by José Pizarro, a Spanish chef and London restauranteur. One of the guests that attended the three-course dinner said: “It was really interesting coming along to the prison last night. The food was delicious (especially the chocolate dessert!) but most of all it felt uplifting to be part of a movement in rehabilitating people in a much more positive and sustainable way.”

Find out more about the programme and the next pop-up restaurant at therightcourse.org.uk

How is your money spent?

Since we were established in 2000 we have provided over £16 million to transform the lives of young people across Europe. None of this would have been possible without your support. This is how we spent every £1 pound in 2015:

May 2016 7dmthomasfoundation.org

Transforming children’s lives quack by quack

We are delighted to have supported a number of wonderful projects in 2016, thanks to our Ducks for Change merchandise, where at least £1 per box purchased supports local causes nominated by our selling outlets.

In Barcelona, Hilton Diagonal Mar nominated €360 to be given to Fundacio Trinijove Centre Obert Neus Puig to provide homework clubs and extra-curricular activities for disadvantaged children. The team at Hilton Northampton nominated the local general hospital to receive £220. Doubletree Amsterdam Centraal Station nominated the Barbara Foundation to receive €1,800 towards youth education projects in The Gambia with provision of items such as books and hot meals. The team along the road in Hilton Amsterdam Airport Schiphol awarded €1,480 to Stichting van het Kind to help support young people in refuges with a range of positive activities and diversions.

€200 from ducks sales will help The Cedar Foundation to provide its Transitions Educational Programmes for disabled people in Bulgaria, thanks to nomination by the team at Hilton Sofia. SOS Children’s Villages / Villages d’Enfants Monde has received support for their work with refugee and orphan children, providing shelter and education, following a grant of €460 following nomination by the team at Doubletree by Hilton Luxembourg.

As reported in the last issue of Highlights, we were also delighted to award £750 to the Kingsport Child Development Center in Tennessee, US. This group was nominated by our campaign partner for Ducks for Change, Eastman.

Please visit dmthomasfoundation.org/ducks-for-change today, to find out more about our fun campaign that is helping make a serious splash in the charity sector.

Have you downloaded River Dash yet?Help our ducks get safely across the river! Our fun and addictive game is available for free on Apple Store, Android and GooglePlay. For more info and links to download please visit dmthomasfoundation.org/game

May 2016 8dmthomasfoundation.org

Our top ten craziest fundraisers - so far

Your news

Throwing a custard pie at your manager’s face

Pig racing

Running five and a half marathons - across the Sahara desert

Boxing against a top chef

Hosting a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party

Keith Burnet of Les Mills UK took part in ‘the toughest footrace on Earth’, the Marathon des Sables in the Moroccan desert. Keith trained by putting his running machine in a sauna!

From a wet sponge at £1 a throw to a full custard foam pie for £2 a throw, team members at Hilton London Kensington will soon have the opportunity to pie their HODs/managers in the face in aid of the Foundation.

Our supporters in Swindon honoured their town’s historical name of Swine-town and held a fun night of pig-racing to support the work of the Foundation. Oink!

Frying pans and spatulas at the ready! The Foundation was proud to host a special set of boxing bouts between top chefs and figures from the culinary world including Marcus Wareing, Monica Galetti and our own Fred Sirieix.

The Mad Hatter from Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland helps theme the epitome of crazy get-togethers and our supporters in London have held a number of Mad Hatter tea-parties and black tie balls for the Foundation.

May 2016 9dmthomasfoundation.org

Dancing non-stop for 24 hours

Jumping out of a plane

Fining your colleagues for using abbreviations

Your news

Our supporters in Glasgow helped launch Around the World in a Day by embracing Western bridal culture and having a fun run to help clock up kilometres dressed in old bridal gowns and bridesmaid dresses!

Revenge of the bridesmaids

Held annually since 2009 to raise funds for our into-work programme Galvin’s Chance, the Mayfair Power and Tower Race challenges participants to run 5KM around Hyde Park and then climb to the top of London Hilton on Park Lane. The next race is 3rd June - don’t delay, sign up today!

Running up 28 floors - next to a perfectly good lift

Our supporters in the Algarve, Portugal, rocked till they dropped by holding a 24 hour danceathon as part of their Around the World in a Day challenge! Plans are hotting up for the 2016 event - we welcome you to our next global mission.

If having both feet firmly on the ground doesn’t appeal to you, you could join our intrepid group of volunteer fundraisers who have hurled themselves out of a plane at 10,000 feet! Email events@dmtfyp.org to register your interest in joining our parachute jump.

Another gem from Hilton London Kensington. Watch out HODs and GMs as your OMGs, LOLs and YOLOs will be under scrutiny through the month of May 2016, with penalties for misuse being a forfeit or a donation to the Foundation.

What will you do for charity this summer?

Run up 28 floors of stairs? June 3rd

Jump 10,000 ft out of a plane? June 11th

Cycle 55 miles in a day? September11th

Sign up for any of the above events today to help us transform the lives of young people!

The London to Brighton cycle will start in South London andfinish on Brighton Pier having completed 54 miles alongside 1000’s of others! Date: September 11th 2016Venue: Clapham Common to Brighton PierRegistration Fee: £50Fundraising Target: £100Sign up deadline: August 1st 2016 Sign up: dmthomasfoundation.org/cycle

Do something incredible before breakfast and take part in the Mayfair Power and Tower Race. A 5km run around Hyde Park then up 28 floors to Galvin at Windows. Date: June 3rd 2016Venue: London Hilton on Park Lane and Hyde ParkRegistration Fee: £15Fundraising Target: £100Sign up deadline: May 20th 2016 Sign up: galvinschance.co.uk/mayfair-power-tower-race-2016

Take part in a world record breaking challenge and be one of the 1000’s of people that jumps out of a plane for charity! Date: June 11th 2016Venue: Salisbury AirfieldRegistration Fee: £70 Fundraising Target: £395 (Includes fee for the tandem jump) Sign up deadline: May 20th 2016 Sign up: dmthomasfoundation.org/awd/jump

Go Around the World in Day June 19thTake part in 5km or 1km run at our special family fun day by which culminates a week of events across Europe. Date: June 19th 2016Venue: Mile End Park, LondonRegistration Fee: £5Fundraising Target: As much as possible Sign up deadline: 1st June Sign up: dmthomasfoundation.org/awd

May 2016 10dmthomasfoundation.org

Daniel Brennan, 2015 winner of the Power and Tower Race

Pictured L-R: Chris Galvin, Daniel Brennan, Fred Sirieix and Galvin’s Chance graduate Mohammed Abubakar

There is just one month to go until the fundraising challenge event of the year, the Mayfair Power and Tower Race. On June 3, fearless runners will brave the 5km and 28 flights of stairs up to Galvin at Windows restaurant at the top of London Hilton at Park Lane. To learn more about running the gruelling course, we met with Daniel Brennan, Laurent-Perrier’s Head of Marketing and the proud winner of last year’s race. He completed the race in 23 minutes 38 seconds.

How did you find out about the Power and Tower Race and why did you decide to participate?

I found out about it through a colleague when I was working for a wine trade company. I thought that Galvin’s Chance was a very worthwhile cause, and I decided that I wanted to be on board.

How did you train for the race and what was the hardest part of the race itself?

I did a lot of running before the race, but I never saw a staircase until the actual run. When I finally had to climb up, it was more a staircase walk than a staircase run, I was so exhausted! The hardest part during the race was maintaining my lead; and of course the staircase, it was just horrendous!

How did it feel to become the winner? Were you surprised?

I did not know I had made it first, so just before crossing the finish line at the top of the stairs, I felt I was going to be sick and went back to the stairs - it was so lucky that nobody overtook me then! When I finally realised I had won the race it felt fantastic, I was absolutely delighted. It was a wonderful day, for an amazing cause. It was very well organized and I really enjoyed drinking the champagne at the end to celebrate! It was really fun to do; fun and painful.

Are you hoping to beat your time this year?

Of course! My objective is always to improve my time; and if I also manage to win again, well, that is a bonus!

What tips do you have for other supporters considering doing the race?

I would tell them to get training before the race and do not be too concerned about the results.

The Mayfair Power and Tower Race is a fundraising event for Galvin’s Chance and into work programme for disadvantaged young people. Why do you think this programme is important?

We all have a collective responsibility to help unprivileged young people. Galvin’s Chance is a wonderful way to help them get a foot in the hospitality industry, and it is also a very well managed programme in which I absolutely trust.

Your news

May 2016 11dmthomasfoundation.org

What’s your pledge?

We believe that every young person should be ABLE to fulfill their portential. At the Foundation, we pledge to work together with all our volunteers to be able to award over £1 million in grants in 2016, helping transform the lives of young people across Europe.

We will do this by hosting and supporting a variety of events and campaigns including balls, runs, cycles, Around the World in a Day and Ducks for Change. We will also help you in your local fundraising and celebrate all your support.

Over the past few weeks we have been asking our supporters what their pledge will be for 2016 and how we can all work together to make a difference in the lives of young people. We have had a fantastic variety of responses. For example, Hilton Cardiff have pledged to support us this year by hosting a Foundation Ball and aim to raise £20,000.

We want to know what your pledge is. How will you and your team help to transform the lives of young people and how can we help you do it?

Pledge your support for the Foundation!

There are lots of ways you can support us - from holding a bake sale, to taking part in Around the World in a Day, holding a Black Tie event or selling our Ducks for Change! Make a pledge today and help us to transform the lives of disadvantaged, sick and disabled children and young people.

For your own pledge sheet please contact Samiya at samiya.rashid@dmtfyp.org or call +44 (0) 207 605 7642.

L-R: Scott Kelly, Chris Todd, Leila Vanbelle, Kim Scheddel of Hilton Worldwide’s talent acquisition team with their 2016 pledge.

Your news

May 2016 12dmthomasfoundation.org

Hilton Cyprus presents cheque to the Mana Foundation

Hilton Cyprus hosted an event on April 15th to present a €5,000 cheque to MANA Foundation, an organisation that protects, cares and helps feed the children of poor families in Nicosia. The funds were raised from the hotel’s Charity Gala Lunch that took place on 10th March, with the First Lady Ms Andri Anastasiades, wife of the President of the Republic of Cyprus. With the handover the hotel proved once again its commitment to improve the lives of disadvantaged young people in Cyprus.

Your news

Mother and son trek Nepal to help young people

Wendi Knibbs, Account Director at Hilton Worldwide, and her son Lewis embarked on an adventurous 10 day trek through Nepal to raise funds for the Foundation. The mother and son team are hoping to raise £3,000 to fund a 10 week music therapy course designed to boost the skills, confidence and self-belief of disadvantaged young people in Sussex, through the work of Rythmix. You can help them meet their target by donating online on their fundraising page https://maplecourt.everydayhero.com/uk/wendi.

May 2016 13dmthomasfoundation.org

You meet all sorts of people when you go Around the World in a Day We are going Around the World in a Day 12-18 June 2016 to support young people. Grab a friend and swim, run, walk, dance or cycle to help us collect kilometres and raise funds to transform young lives.

Find out more and register to take part dmthomasfoundation.org/awd

Together we are transforming young lives

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May 2016 14dmthomasfoundation.org

Are you ready to go Around the World in a Day?

We would like to invite you to join us at a Family Fun Day at Mile End Park on Sunday 19th June 2016 from 10:00am to help us make it Around the World in a Day. Bring your friends, your family and your best fancy dress outfits for this fantastic event!

Contribute to our goal to collect 40,075km by signing up to our 5K Fun Run around Mile End Park. We firmly believe that fancy dress on the theme of Around the World will help you achieve your personal best and we will hand out prizes for the best costume.

Younger globe-trotters can participate in a 1K activity walk called Walk Around the World. Like the adults, fancy dress on the theme of Around the World is encouraged, the brighter the better to win a prize.

After the walk and run, enjoy a pre-ordered picnic lunch and join in the games, face-painting and fun galore.

Tickets are £5 per entry to the Fun Run or Walk Around the World, and bring as many supporters as you like. All ages and abilities are warmly welcomed to join in the fun.

In addition to a fun and active day, Around the World in a Day also aims to go the extra mile for our communities. There are no minimum fundraising targets but we would love you to collect sponsorship as part of your participation in this event. Entry fees help cover the cost of holding the event but fundraising will help us and our event partner, Evelina London Children’s Hospital, work to improve the health and education of more young people.

We are asking participants to aim for a sponsorship target of £100 for adults and £50 for children. These funds will go a long way to supporting the health and education of young people when they need it most.

To buy your tickets and make a difference to young people, please visit dmthomasfoundation.org/events/awd-signature-event.

We look forward to going Around the World in a Day with you!

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3 course dinner with wine Drinks reception Entertainment

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Dance

Raffle Best Costume Award

Head & Tails

Ticket only £55

Accommodation at £109 per room per night

Rate includes breakfast and VAT, T&C’s apply. Book until 7th April 2016 for above rates to apply. Limited availability.

Book with Anna Tullgren, 0207 605 7641, anna.tullgren@dmtfyp.org

or online http://dmthomasfoundation.org/events/carnivalnight/

May 2016 15dmthomasfoundation.org

Dates for your Diary

7 May Hilton London Kensington Carnival Ball

3 June Galvin’s Chance Mayfair Power & Tower Race

12-19 June Foundation Around the World in a Day

18 June Hilton Brighton Metropole Indian Midsummer Ball

06 July The Waldorf Hilton “Kinky Boots” Gala Dinner

14 July Hilton London Wembley Golf Day

21 July Hilton Worldwide Hilton Supply Management Golf Day

1 September Hilton Belfast and Templepatrick Foundation Golf Day

8 October Hilton Manchester Deansgate Star Ball

29 October Hilton Liverpool Liverpool Star Ball

12 November Hilton Avisford Park, Arundel Hollywood Glamour Ball

22 November Hilton Blackpool Children’s Charity Dance Festival

26 November DM Thomas Foundation Foundation Ball

If you would like to attend any of these events, please visit our website to book. If you have any other events not shown, do tell us at events@dmtfyp.org.

If you have activities that you would like to include in the next edition of Highlights contact us on comms@dmtfyp.org

Thanks to our corporate partnersHere are just a few of the fantastic organistaions who have given their generous support to our events and campaigns. For a full list please visit dmthomasfoundation.org/our-supporters: