Imagination is the cornerstone of creativity, problem solving and innovation. It’s an essential skill for life. In an era of rapid global change, being able to imagine a world that doesn’t yet exist has never been more vital. But this crucial skill is being overlooked. "We are delighted that The Black Heart Foundation shares our vision to create a space where children and their families can let their imaginations run free. The generosity of The Foundation through their support of our outreach programme has enabled us to involve children directly with the development of the Institute of Imagination and to deliver impact to children who might not otherwise have access to high quality cultural engagement." Michelle Dorion, Founding Chair, Institute of Imagination

EYLA enables young people from disadvantaged communities to do well at school and go on to become transformational leaders and global citizens. Funding from the Black Heart Foundation enables us, through our Scholars Programme, to prepare c.30 pupils each year for bursary places at boarding schools. EYLA offers masterclasses to access new subjects, boost confidence and communication skills and to make the necessary cultural and emotional adjustments. The funding also contributes towards ‘throughcare’ for c.80 pupils currently in boarding schools. This includes school visits, academic coaching, advocacy and parent support. The Foundation has also funded some of the alumni through post graduate qualifications. Anne Collard, Project Manager EYLA

“Royal National Children’s SpringBoard Foundation (“Royal SpringBoard”) are very grateful to The Black Heart Foundation for their generous support, enabling the charity to offer life-transforming 110% bursaries to disadvantaged children and young people from across the UK. Royal SpringBoard is the UK’s largest provider of boarding school bursaries; the charity has worked with more than 700 pupils in both state and independent boarding schools throughout the country, and aims to place 2000 pupils in boarding schools by 2024. Our work is unique in that it is based on the ‘Whole Child’ agenda, a wraparound pastoral support system to provide the best opportunity for the bursary pupils to thrive both at school and beyond. We aim to create a sustained ‘ripple effect’ of increased social mobility across deprived communities. This means that the impact of our work is not restricted to the individual pupil, but positively influences the lives of their families and their wider neighbourhood.”

“Thanks to the Black Heart Foundation’s support, the school has gone from strength to strength since opening in 2016. This year, 100% of students passed 3 A-Levels and 79% achieved A*-B grades. As a result, ASA graduates are currently at universities all over the world, from Ashesi University in Ghana to Edinburgh University, UK. With your support, the students have also been able to pursue a range of extra-curricular activities - from speaking at the African Women in Technology Conference to attending TEDx Accra - and we have developed a varied visiting speaker series. It has been an exciting few years for the African Science Academy and we are hugely ambitious for the future. We could not have achieved our success without the generous support of the Black Heart Foundation.” “By sponsoring my education at ASA you have helped me move to the next level in my life.” Joana Armandine, 2016 graduate

Since it opened in 1852, Great Ormond Street Hospital has always been a beacon of hope for children and families. Today the hospital sees over 240,000 patient visits a year and treats young patients from around the UK and the world who are suffering from complex life-limiting and life-threatening conditions. “The generous gift received from The Black Heart Foundation will help us to provide furniture and equipment for one of these bedrooms and we cannot thank the Foundation enough for this wonderfully generous support, helping to provide a home from home for the child and their family and offering them the privacy, comfort and dignity that they deserve.”

The school has the highest academic aspirations and, at the same time, maintains a caring, family orientated culture. The school currently sends 75% of pupils to top third universities and have achieved some of the best GCSE results in the country. "The contribution from The Black Heart Foundation has been instrumental in creating a transformational university preparation programme for the pupils of King Solomon Academy. The funding supports the partnership with The Access Project. By providing long term academically focused personal tutors to our pupils, the programme gives them opportunity to attain the grades that allow access to universities that would otherwise be out of their reach. This, coupled with academically enriching workshops and university visits means that the programme represents a life changing educational experience for our pupils." Max Haimendorf, Principal, King Solomon Academy

Working in South Africa, Zimbabwe, Zambia and in partnerships across the world, Grassroot Soccer uses the power and popularity of soccer to educate and inspire at-risk students. "Through the Black Heart Foundation's generosity, Grassroot Soccer has been able to extend its reach in Zimbabwe to empower young people to stop the spread of HIV and become leaders in their communities. While young people in this region face many challenges to success, they are also the greatest force for change. With the help of The Foundation, we've been able to provide life-saving HIV prevention education and voluntary HIV counselling and testing to a greater number of children, while giving them the tools to live healthy, productive lives." Methembe Ndlovu, Co-Founder and Country Director GRS

“The Black Heart Foundation supports the South Hampstead High School’s Futures Fund in two critical ways. It provides funds for Bursaries, so that children from primary schools across London who might not otherwise be able to can benefit from the exceptional education the school offers. The foundation also supports our Waterlow Hall project, which will transform an existing performance space into a first-choice venue for music and drama. This will enhance the creative experience both for our pupils and for those in our partner state schools; it will also enhance the school’s position as a hub for music and arts in North London. We are grateful for the Foundation’s generosity in making a difference at South Hampstead.” Victoria Bingham, Headmistress, South Hampstead High School

"The Black Heart Foundation's financial contribution to Classically British over the years has been invaluable, allowing us to provide a platform for black British classically trained dancers and choreographers, to come together and express themselves. It was a truly inspiring evening for both children and adults alike. Funding allowed us to invite children from local primary schools in the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea to experience and appreciate dance and to ask questions of the performers - a rare opportunity to dance with members of the CB company. The positive response enabled us to engage with more children, motivating them to participate in dance and perhaps follow the footsteps of legendary Director, Arthur Mitchell of Dance Theatre of Harlem. The event is a feature of Black History Season considering the past and present, a celebration of the contribution of dancers, particularly of ethnic minority in the UK." Mark Elie, Artistic Director, Portobello Dance School

The Haverhill YMCA's Youth Basketball Travel League provides young men with an opportunity to play competitive basketball, regardless of their ability to pay. Boys are able to not only gain basketball skills, but also develop teamwork and a positive work ethic. “The Black Heart Foundation's grant to the Haverhill YMCA was essential to the program. It enabled the Y to reach out into the community to young basketball players who as disadvantaged youth would not have been able to pay for the program. We are grateful that the Y's impact on youth in the community was recognised and supported so that no one is turned away. We are grateful that the Foundations' generosity helped us change lives.” Tracy Fuller, Haverhill YMCA Executive Director

"The donation to International Inspiration from The Black Heart Foundation provided the means for the charity to recruit its first dedicated Business Development Manager. Dynamic professional fundraising capacity is crucial to the success of the charity, and having funds secured for this in the first year of the newly merged charity is hugely important. The charity was able to fundraise independently for the first time raising much needed income for increasing the opportunities for children and young people in low and middle income countries to access, enjoy and learn from physical education, sport and play." Tom Burstow Former Head of Sports Programmes and Commonwealth Games Project Director, UNICEF UK - Former partner of the International Inspiration Programme

“The company's Spring 2015 tour was our most successful one to date. Thanks to the assistance from THE BLACK HEART FOUNDATION, we were able to take this pacy, witty production to a wider range of the more challenged state schools . Shakespeare Live! is popular with the independents and grammars, but this show can appeal to all intellects... as one teacher remarked... plenty of information but delivered (disguised?) as entertainment... cleverly done... they learned a lot, but it didn't feel like it, if you know what I mean. Thanks to funding Traffic of the Stage was able to reach over 6000 students on the tour.” John Cooper, Director, Traffic of the Stage

Black Heart Foundation’s support enabled Music of Life to significantly enhance its Monitoring & Evaluation process. “The head mistress said the other day that Music of Life had actually changed their school. Instead of fighting or having behavioural problems, the children sing. Some sixth formers apparently went to an open day at a college last week and stood up in front of everyone and performed one of the songs from the project. One of the boys who was so nervous for the Christmas project he was physically sick and had to miss it, stood up on Tuesday and conducted the choir (alongside Suzie) singing Something Inside So Strong in front of an audience of school friends, parents and staff.” Suzzie Vango, the Music of Life workshop leader 2015

“The donation from The Black Heart Foundation, has helped Beat to support people affected by eating disorders through its range of Helpline support. Our trained team of support workers have responded to calls, emails and texts to the Helpline from adults and young people, many of who are feeling alone and isolated and just need someone to talk to. Other callers may be encouraged to make the first step to getting the right help and treatment they need by giving them confidence to speak to their GP. The donation to the Helpline has also helped us to make a difference to those who are in recovery from an eating disorder and need some extra support to maintain this through our online support groups.” Nina Dufeu, Director of Services

“Without the support of generous funders like The Black Heart Foundation, the breadth, ambition and quality of our education programme would be extremely restricted. Funds have been instrumental in supporting Camden Arts Centre’s education programme including free drop-in sessions for families with children of all ages every Sunday alongside our exhibitions, and work with local primary, secondary and SEN schools. We welcomed 50% of participants from less advantaged backgrounds, and were able to offer bursary places for disabled young people to join our projects. Thanks to support like yours, we are poised for great things in our 50th anniversary year.” Neil Debnam, Head of Development, Camden Arts Centre

“Both grants from The Black Heart Foundation have made it possible to obtain evidence to form the basis of the decision to conduct a larger trial of the Maths and Physics Girls’ Scholarship scheme. The purpose of the larger trial is to determine the effect size of the scholarship on comparable girls nationally. The study is planned to take place in 2019 and will involve 1,300 girls receiving the Maths and Physics Girls’ Scholarship. We are most grateful for the grant from The Black Heart Foundation. It has made a life-changing difference to girls who have chosen to study A-level maths and physics who otherwise would not have done so.”

Finchley Children’s Music Group (FCMG) is a North London based children’s choir of 170 singers aged 14–18. FCMG is a charity run by 7 voluntary Trustees, all of whom are parents of current or past singers. Children are drawn from a wide variety of social, cultural and economic backgrounds across 10 North London boroughs and are welcomed from all walks of life and of any ability. “Although we keep our fees as low as possible, the annual subscription is beyond the reach of some families and we are enormously grateful to The Blackheart Foundation for their generous support towards our bursary scheme.” Theresa Ward, FCMG Chair

“With the support of The Black Heart Foundation it has enabled Swish to offer young basketball players in Hawkes Bay, New Zealand  who have struggles with broken families, financial hardships, social and learning inabilities opportunities that are meaningful and positive, while using  Basketball as that vehicle. The recent support we have received is assisting us to provide a group of our players an international basketball experience that they would never otherwise have the opportunity to experience. Being part of the Swish family encompasses belonging, to something bigger than themselves and seeing that anything is possible if they work hard, stay positive, believe in themselves and the positive influences around them in the community. As they say in New Zealand " Its all about family" now we have The Black Heart Foundation as part of our family.” Nga Mihi Aroha TBHF

“Since 2015, The Black Heart Foundation has been supporting the Urban Land Institute (uk.uli.org) on an exciting educational initiative for state schools that promotes a better understanding of how urban regeneration is used to revive cities and create sustainable communities. Called UrbanPlan, it’s targeted at 15-18 year olds and gives students from all walks of life a unique insight into the pressures and processes through which communities evolve. The programme increases students’ awareness of the complexities of urban redevelopment and some may even be inspired to consider careers in the industry. In addition, it offers industry volunteers a chance to share their expertise and to promote the role of the industry in the transformation of urban areas. It’s been running successfully in the UK since its launch in 2015 and has been delivered to over 2500 students in over 100 state schools across the country. More than 400 property industry volunteers have participated too. Feedback from the workshops continues to be incredibly positive, with 100% of teachers and 95% of students rating them as excellent or good.”

“LEAP has given me the opportunity to shape my future. LEAP has been crucial in supporting and guiding me on my journey to accomplish my academic and professional goals. I came to LEAP in middle school and now that I’m in college, I meet with my LEAP advisor every week. I don’t know what I would do without LEAP.” Kevin, Melo, Computer Science major, Salem State University, Class of 2019. “As a DACA student in the U.S. I had no hope that I could attend or afford college. With the support of LEAP staff and the scholarship awarded to me by the Black Heart Foundation, I received my Associates degree and am planning to attend a 4-year college, a dream I was thought impossible” Anonymous student, graduate of North Shore Community College, Lynn, MA, Class of 2018. “I want to thank the generosity of the Black Heart Foundation in its support of our College Success program that serves over 150 low-income and first generation to college students and another 75 high school students with comprehensive, customized services so they may qualify for a college that will provide a gateway to a career of their choice”, said Linda Saris, Executive Director, LEAP.”