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A relaunched Midland charity is pushing to create the sort of business philanthropy espoused by the prime minister in his ‘Big Society’. Enda Mullen reports

David Cameron’s Big Society idea has garnered more than its fair share of publicity but is it any more than political bluff and bluster.

Birmingham and Black Country Community Foundation (BBCCF) feels it is a living example of the idea but in a tough economic climate where all charities are feeling the squeeze it faces an uphill task to keep delivering.

The foundation recently relaunched, with the aim of getting the Midlands business community to back more of the good work it does, and David Bucknall, chairman of Birmingham & Black Country Community Foundation, said it was a timely return.

“We are the Big Society in action – we see what David Cameron is on about – but in truth we have been doing it for years,” he said.

The charity has quietly been making a difference for the last 18 years by offering hope and opportunity to organisations and individuals in disadvantaged communities.

Originally formed as Birmingham Foundation in 1995, the organisation was set up to promote philanthropy and encourage the idea of giving something back to the local community.

Many of the great and the good from the Midlands business world have been involved in its running over the years, most notably its chairman, Pertemps supremo Tim Watts, and well-known property man David Bucknall.

Since it was formed around £40 million has been invested into communities in the region, with the actual socioeconomic impact of that investment is estimated as approaching £200 million.

Mr Bucknall describes it as a “Heineken charity” on the basis that it “tries to get to the parts others can’t reach”.

At its core though is a desire to help people help themselves.

“We get out into the community and find the reliable people and bring hope via sustainable enterprises in disadvantaged communities,” said Mr Bucknall. “We support the heroes there and they deliver long-term.

“We’re concerned with employment and enterprise and are tackling them by teaching people to be enterprising. Around 2,000 young people are working because of what we have done.”

However, Mr Bucknall makes no bones about the fact the foundation is navigating its way through choppy waters at the moment, due to reduced public funding, intense competition between charities and a legal battle over a £1.9 million “black hole” in its funding over the regeneration of Nechells Baths.

“We have been shifting the model to a private sector business model,” he added. “We had a public sector business model where a lot of money came from the public sector but the global financial crisis has killed that.

“It is tougher than it has ever been and we have cut our overheads down from around £380,000 to less than £200,000.

“There is a good story to be told, despite two big setbacks in the shape of the financial meltdown and a court case to reclaim funding but despite these we are still delivering.

“We are competing for charity donations against some very worthwhile causes and with no detriment to national or international charities we have to convince Birmingham businesses that charity begins at home

“We feel we are on a mission to show them why we are the worthy recipients of their support.”

It is a sentiment echoed by the foundation’s marketing and communications manager, Mubina Khan-Daniels, who said: “We don’t receive core costs funding. We are independently funded and have to raise money ourselves

“The business community is always looking at different ways to give back and we can provide them with a unique way to give to the community.

“A lot of businesses choose a national charity because that’s what they know and they don’t know of anything else.

“But we do some amazing work and it is work that is transformational rather than transactional. It is not just a one-off.”

The foundation’s recent relaunch took place at a special event put on by Squire Sanders and Mr Bucknall said they will be doing more of the same in a bid to attract more backing from the business world.

As an added bonus any money raised from Birmingham businesses will be matched pound for pound by the Connie Watts Foundation, up to a limit of £300,000.

To find out more visit www.bbccf.org.uk.