Category: News

The Barker-Mill Foundation has donated £2,000 to the 4^th Eling Sea Scouts’ fundraising efforts to install much-needed new storage areas for its growing activity base at Testwood Lakes in Totton near Southampton.

The group is a registered charity run solely by volunteers which conducts an active Scout programme with 130 youth members. As part of the Scout Association, its core objective is to actively engage and support young people in their personal development, empowering them to make a positive contribution to society.

The Aquativity Centre at Testwood Lakes is the group’s meeting space and is regularly used by other Scout groups, schools, and charities. Since the centre opened in 2013 the 4^th Eling Sea Scouts have outgrown their existing storage areas and require more space.

Following their successful application to New Forest District Council to secure planning permission for the new facility, the group is now fundraising for an initial £15,000 to cover the external construction.

The donation from the Barker-Mill Foundation has kickstarted this effort and comes after previous support provided by the charity. Its previous donations to the 4^th Eling Sea Scouts have totalled £52,000, most of which was towards the building of the Aquativity Centre.

Simon Barker, Trustee of the Barker-Mill Foundation, said: “The Foundation has a long association with the 4^th Eling Sea Scouts and it’s fantastic to see how much they have grown to support so many young people in the Totton area.

“We’re pleased to continue our support and provide an initial donation towards their fundraising efforts for the new storage facility. We are very hopeful they will meet their target soon and construction can get underway.”

Peter Foster, Treasurer and Trustee for 4^th Eling Sea Scouts, said: “To date we have raised just over £7,000 for this project and are now able to commence the groundworks that are due to be completed at the end of October.

“We’ll then be fundraising for the remaining amount and we’re planning a few fundraising activities including a Christmas hamper draw. We’re also planning to hold our annual Donkey Derby on May 21^st next year at Eling Recreation Ground. We haven’t been able to run it due to the pandemic for the past two years, so we’re excited to be bringing this back for everyone to enjoy and to raise the final funds for the project.”

If you’re a local good cause looking for funding from the Barker-Mill Foundation, please visit: www.barkermillfoundation.com/apply/ for further information.

The Barker-Mill Foundation has donated £2,000 towards Foxhills Infant School fundraising project for a new trim trail and £1,000 to Newlands Primary School to help fund the installation of a rainbow garden space. Both schools have embarked on various fundraising activities to improve and create new outside spaces which will enhance pupils’ experiences and provide new learning environments. The donations from the Barker-Mill Foundation take them both one step closer to their targets.  

Foxhills Infant school in Ashurst will be refurbishing their existing trim trail which the pupils are unable to use in its current condition due to Health and Safety guidelines. The school, which teaches 177 pupils ranging in ages from 4 – 7 years, has been selling ice creams and hosted a sponsored trip to Tokyo for the pupils, amongst other fundraising efforts, in order to raise £11,000 to replace the trail.  

Lucy Howe, head spokesperson for Foxhill Infant school, said: “Over the past year we have been working hard towards our fundraising target to replace the trim trail. It is a wonderful feeling to have finally achieved this and a huge testament to the pupils, teachers, parents and local organisations, including the Barker-Mill Foundation, who helped us to reach this goal. The refurbishments have now bee complete and pupils have been benefitting enormously as it helps them to learn perseverance, balance and how to work as a team. It is great fun and is an amazing addition to our current outdoor play facilities.”  

Newlands Primary School in Millbrook is also currently fundraising to install a Rainbow Garden on their school grounds. Currently in the early stages of planning, the space will be joining the schools on-site sensory garden which is being built in memory of a late member of staff. The school, which teaches 400 pupils from ages 4 – 11 years, is looking to install the Rainbow Garden as a reminder of the positive memories that have been made at the school throughout the Covid-19 pandemic. The garden which the school is aiming to install by Spring 2022, will also be a place where the children can learn about nurturing plants and ‘grow their own’.  

Karen Mellor, Head Teacher at Newlands Primary School, said: “We wanted to install a feature at the school, post-lockdowns, to build new memories and help our children to learn about growing plants and vegetables and nurturing nature. Many of our pupils remained at school during times of lockdown due to their parents being key workers and other various reasons so we wanted to look back on those memories as positive times of growth and togetherness. The kind donation we have received from The Barker-Mill Foundation will help us enormously to reach our target of £5000 along with generous donations from other local community groups and our own rainbow non-uniform day. We are planning on holding further fundraising events in order to reach this total over the course of autumn term.” 

Simon Barker, Trustee of the Barker-Mill Foundation, said: “It has been a difficult eighteen months for us all, and particularly for children with the disruption it has caused to their education. We appreciate how important outside learning is, so it is fantastic that both Foxhill Infant School and Newlands Primary School are embarking on exciting projects to enhance the outdoor space for their young pupils to enjoy and we’re delighted to have been able to contribute.”  

The Barker Mill Foundation has continued its support of University Hospital Southampton (UHS) with a further donation of £50,000 to Southampton Hospitals Charity. The donation has been used to support the cost of two relatives’ rooms, providing a private environment for medical and nursing teams to meet with patients’ families and update them on patients’ treatment and progress or to break difficult news.

The funds have paid for the rooms to be built within the current General Intensive Care Unit (GICU) and for the associated costs such as decoration and providing furniture. The rooms are just one of the enhancements which the Barker Mill Foundation is funding for the GICU at University Hospitals Southampton, which was at the forefront of providing lifesaving care to hundreds of patients with COVID-19, at the peak of the pandemic caring for over 250 patients with the illness.

In total, over the last three years the Barker Mill Foundation has donated £137,500 to the Hospital. The donations have supported two projects: £100,000 towards the two relatives’ rooms and £37,500 towards a point of care testing device. Southampton Hospitals Charity is also raising £1.2m to fund a palliative care suite, rehabilitations area to be used by therapy staff, a new waiting room and artwork throughout the department.

Steve Harris, Chief People Officer for UHS and Southampton Hospitals Charity said: “We are so grateful to The Barker-Mill Foundation for their continued and generous support of our organisation. Being able to provide a quiet space that is also close by for relatives of patients, at what can often be a very stressful time, is going to make a real difference.”

Fiona Hall, a UHS GICU nurse, who looks after the follow up care which patients, and their loved ones, receive after discharge added: “Relatives of GICU patients are away from home, often many miles if the patient has been flown in or in the area on holiday. They are extremely anxious and afraid to leave their

loved ones’ side when they are critically ill and there could be a deterioration at any moment. Being able to de-stress in a comfortable dedicated space that makes them feel welcome means they won’t have to go far from the bedside to rest or get refreshment- so often people are afraid to go downstairs to get a drink in case they miss the urgent call to go back to the bedside.

“Additionally, loved ones will be able to chat with other relatives out of earshot of the general public. This allows for mutual support and empathy with others who recognise what they are going through and often gain strong bonds with. Relevant information and support can be readily available in sensitively decorated areas where they can talk with health professionals in confidence and privacy. All of this would not be possible without the support of The Barker Mill Foundation.”

A spokesperson at the Barker-Mill Foundation said: “We are pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to Southampton Hospitals Charity and University Hospital Southampton and to support their staff in delivering world class treatment and care. We are delighted to know that the Barker-Mill Foundation’s latest donation towards the two relatives’ rooms will really make a difference for so many people who are going through a stressful time with a loved one in hospital. We hope the rooms provide a calming environment to everyone who unfortunately needs to use them.”

For further information on Southampton Hospitals Charity please visit their website at www.southamptonhospitalscharity.org/make-a-donation.

Barker-Mill Estates is delighted to welcome two new trustees to work closely with the Barker-Mill family and current Trustee to support the guardianship of the Estate and a new Trustee to continue the generous work of the charitable arm, the Barker-Mill Foundation. The appointments come after the sad passing last year of Tim Jobling, a long-standing and highly valued Trustee of the Estates and Foundation.

Chairman of the Estates, Richard Moyse who was appointed as a Trustee in 2000 and Chairman in 2006, is joined by Simon Rylatt, Partner at Boodle Hatfield and Carl Jackson, Managing Partner at Quantuma.

Simon Rylatt became a Partner focusing on Private Client and Tax at law firm, Boodle Hatfield in 2005 and specialises in UK and international tax and estate planning for individuals and trusts. He has worked closely with Barker-Mill Estates for a number of years.

Carl Jackson founded his company Quantuma in 2013, an independent business advisory firm and has successfully created and implemented the company’s strategic plan to be the leading independent practice in the UK mid-market across the Advisory spectrum. Carl’s career background and his expertise will help support Barker-Mill’s vision for the future.

Chairman of the Foundation Richard Moyse and Chris Gwyn-Evans, a Trustee since 1995 and Administrator of the Foundation will be joined by Simon Barker of Longdown Management, a Chartered Surveyor and Fellow of the Association of Agricultural Valuers. Longdown Management is the in-house property management company for Barker-Mill Estates meaning Simon has worked very closely with Richard and Chris for several years on both Estates and Foundation work.

Richard Moyse said: “We are delighted to welcome the new Trustees on board whose main role will be to support the Estates land management and the great work of the Foundation which has donated over £4 million to local charities, schools, organisations and individuals needing support across Hampshire.

“As trustees we pride ourselves on the guardianship of the Barker-Mill Estates and are committed to ensuring the continued support to local people, businesses and communities through our provision of local housing, commercial space and through the Foundation to provide much needed funding to local organisations.”

Simon Barker, Managing Director at Longdown Management and Trustee of Barker-Mill Estates said: “After working closely with the Barker-Mill family and Trustees to manage the Estates and supporting the Foundation activity through my role at Longdown management I am proud to become a Trustee of the Barker-Mill Foundation. It’s been fantastic to be so close to all the beneficial work the Foundation provides, and I’m thrilled to now be a part of supporting the local communities, charities, businesses and individuals as a Trustee.”

Barker-Mill Estates consists of the land in Hampshire owned and managed by the Barker-Mill family and its Trustees. The family have been local landowners and prominent figures in community life for over 500 years. Although mainly consisting of farmland, woodland, grazing paddocks and commercial land units, the estates also own a wide range of residential properties, many of which are rented by local people.

The Barker-Mill Foundation has been supporting local charities, schools, organisations and individuals needing support, primarily in South West Hampshire since 1995. To date over £4 million has been donated to a variety of causes including notable projects with The Murray Parish Trust a children’s hospital support charity, Maggies Cancer Centre in Southampton, and the world-renowned John Hansard art gallery in Southampton.

Hampshire based Barker Mill Foundation is delighted that a new cancer support centre in Southampton, Maggie’s, is close to completion, helped by their £140,000 donation. The donation was a huge boost towards their fundraising target.

Maggie’s new cancer support centre in Southampton will be based next to University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust’s (UHS) oncology unit.

The facility, which is due to start providing virtual support this year and will open its doors, following all government guidelines, early next year, will provide much needed support to those living with cancer. Last year over 22,500 people from the area received a new cancer diagnosis. Maggie’s work will complement the treatments received by people of all ages and with any type of cancer, as well as the research taking place at Southampton hospital.

Maggie’s Southampton Centre Head, Gilly Howard‐Jones, who until recently worked as a cancer nurse specialist at UHS said: “We are looking forward to supporting people with cancer this year by phone, email and online and to opening our doors and welcoming visitors next year. We see people come into our centres across the country with the weight of the world on their shoulders, but they leave looking lighter and as if they feel hopeful once more. The coronavirus created a lot of fear, anxiety and even trauma for people living with cancer as treatments were delayed, appointments postponed and shielding caused isolation.

“We help people to live better with cancer by supporting them through their fear, anxiety, stress and money worries and much more

The impact of the coronavirus on people with cancer will be felt for a long time to come, but we will be here to support in any way we can.”

Gemma McKnight, Fundraising Manager at Maggie’s Southampton said: “We rely almost entirely on voluntary donations to support our work and we are so grateful to Barker‐Mill Foundation for their continued support.

“We know that our expertise will be needed even more in the months to come. The latest research from Cancer Research UK shows that millions of people missed screenings during lockdown and 24,000 cases have gone undiagnosed. With treatment altered and surgery postponed there will be unbearable mental anguish as people learn that they face more extensive surgery, or their cancer is no longer treatable or survivable. Our psychologists and cancer support specialists will be here for them.”

Once open, Maggie’s will offer a variety of support which will also include tailored specialist help, nutrition workshops, stress management and benefits advice. Maggie’s relies almost entirely on voluntary donations to ensure it supports as many people living with or affected by cancer, as possible. Local fundraisers and donors, like the Barker Mill Foundation, are vital to ensure everyone who visits the Centre can use the facilities and sessions on offer.

Tim Jobling, Barker Mill Foundation Trustee, said: “Maggie’s is a wonderful organisation and I would encourage everyone to get behind it, by fundraising and donating for this very special service which is going to touch the lives of so many people with cancer, their friends and families. The work they do provides a huge boost to the University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust’s oncology unit, which serves 3.2 million people across the south coast, the Channel Islands, and the Isle of Wight. The work Maggie’s does will provide vital support for those receiving these specialist cancer services.”

Maggie’s is a national charity with 23 other Centres around the UK. It provides practical, emotional and social support for people with cancer and their family and friends. Built in the grounds of NHS cancer hospitals, Maggie’s Centres are places with professional staff on hand to offer the support people need.

For further information about Maggie’s, please visit: www.maggiescentres.org/our‐ centres/maggies‐southampton/

The Barker-Mill Foundation (BMF) has made a second £33,000 donation, part of a £100,000 three-year pledge, to the internationally recognised John Hansard Gallery in Southampton. The donation supports the “Digital Array: Barker-Mill Film and Video Commissions”, a series of pioneering commissions for a new media wall in the atrium of the contemporary art gallery in the heart of city.

John Hansard Gallery, part of the University of Southampton, will commission ten artists to create new film and video artworks for the Digital Array from 2019-2021, which will be visible from both inside and outside of the Gallery to those passing through Guildhall Square.

Woodrow Kernohan, Director, John Hansard Gallery, said: “Support from the Barker-Mill Foundation has allowed us to continue commissioning artists to create new and exciting digital artworks for audiences, both online and in person. We are incredibly grateful for the ongoing support from the Barker-Mill Foundation and look forward to welcoming physical audiences back to John Hansard Gallery in September, with an exciting new film commission by Larry Achiampong, ‘Relic Beyond’, presented both on our Digital Array screen and online through our website.”

During May and June John Hansard Gallery presented ‘How to Fly’ and ‘How to Live’ by artist David Blandy, both new online commissions reflecting the uncertain times we have found ourselves in with the coronavirus pandemic. The online exhibition series continued throughout July with ‘Glasshouse’ by Irish artist Niamh O’Malley, ahead of her solo exhibition at John Hansard Gallery in 2021.

Tim Jobling, Trustee at the Barker-Mill Foundation said: “The Digital Array commissions are such a dynamic and engaging programme that showcase experimental artists’ film and video. I am delighted John Hansard will be reopening in September so that everyone can once again see the artists’ work on display at the Gallery and that our ongoing support has helped make this possible. In the meantime, I urge people to visit the John Hansard Gallery website where many of the commissions are being streamed and I look forward to seeing the new film commission by Larry Achiampong.”

The Barker-Mill Foundation is a long-term supporter and champion of Southampton’s cultural scene, having made previous donations towards the creation of the new arts complex in Guildhall Square.

John Hansard Gallery relocated from its historic home on Highfield campus to its new purpose-built home in Southampton’s Cultural Quarter, a move that provided the Gallery with triple the amount of space for programming and to attract new, diverse and expanded audiences.

All films are available to view on the John Hansard Gallery website at www.jhg.art. For more information on Barker-Mill Foundation, please visit: www.barkermillfoundation.com.

Image credit: Larry Achiampong, Sunday’s Best, installation image, John Hansard Gallery, 2020. Courtesy the artist and Copperfield London. Photo: Reece Straw

The Barker Mill Foundation has continued its support of University Hospital Southampton with a donation of £37,500 to Southampton Hospitals Charity, which will go towards the immediate funding of a Point of Care Testing machine, vital in the prevention, care and treatment of Acute Kidney Injury (AKI).

Acute Kidney Injury, usually seen in older people, can happen as a complication of another serious illness rather than a physical blow. It can range from minor loss of kidney function to complete kidney failure, so fast detection and rapid treatment is essential to prevent further organ damage.

Joint Interim Director at Southampton Hospitals Charity, Jeneen Thomsen said: “Each year around 200 patients admitted to A&E and in need of acute medical care are also suffering from an Acute Kidney Injury. Without proper, prompt and appropriate treatment the condition can lead to significant damage to the kidneys and other vital organs. Whilst bloods and urine samples are taken on a patient’s admission to the department it can take time to get back results, in which time a patient’s AKI can get worse.

“The Point of Care Testing device machine funded by the Barker Mill Foundation will rapidly detect if a patient has an AKI and allow clinical staff to treat them quickly, prevent further damage and tailor their care and medication. We are incredibly grateful for the support we’ve received from the Foundation which will enable us to further enhance patient care whilst providing world class healthcare.”

Southampton Hospital Charity helps to enhance the care and treatment of patients at University Hospital Southampton, working with their partners to raise funds and provide financial support to areas of the hospital service that lie beyond the scope of NHS funding.

Tim Jobling, Trustee at the Barker-Mill Foundation said “We are pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to University Hospital Southampton’s rapid treatment of Acute Kidney Injury. We are delighted to know that the donation assisted with the purchase of the new equipment that will help clinical staff to treat the 200 patients admitted to A&E also suffering from an AKI. Preventing further risk of significant damage to the kidneys and other organs, is importance in helping to alleviate any additional demands on the NHS which we are only too pleased to support.”

For further information on Southampton Hospital Charity please visit their website at www.southamptonhospitalscharity.org .

Hampshire based Barker-Mill Foundation is pledging to donate 5000 trees for planting in 2020/21 to community groups, schools and charities across the New Forest, Test Valley and Southampton. The ‘Promise to Plant’ campaign spearheads celebrations to mark their 25^th Anniversary.

Since being set up by the Barker-Mill family in 1995, The Foundation has made over £4million of donations to a wide range of local organisations and charities supporting projects big and small. The ambitious anniversary ‘Promise to Plant’ is part of Barker-Mill’s wider commitment to a more sustainable future for the area and to help create a greener and healthier place to live.

When covid-19 lockdown has eased, the celebratory initiative will see the distribution of campaign packs to organisations and individuals, detailing all the ways to get involved. The Barker Mill Foundation is also calling on organisations that the Foundation has supported over the years, to come forward and request a tree donation.

Tim Jobling, Barker-Mill Trustee, said: “We wanted to mark 25 years in a way that had a lasting legacy that complements the continued support to the communities where we work and built on the donations we have been proud to make to so many local charities and community organisations over the years. Planting a tree is something everyone can do, and the benefits are immense from helping to fight climate change by locking up carbon to fighting flooding, trees reduce pollution and nurture wildlife and their majesty adds to the beauty of our surroundings.”

With tree planting season starting from November through to March, interested organisations will receive their requested tree(s) towards the end of October for the big Promise to Plant in November.

For 25 years, The Foundation has met the funding needs of a diverse range of charities and groups across four key sectors: performing arts and culture; health; local community services; and animal welfare. Recent donations have included £2000 to Totton Infant’s School for new iPads to support the children with their learning and £24,000 to Breast Cancer Haven Wessex to retain a vital Information and Support Officer for another year. Major arts recipient, John Hansard Gallery in Southampton, last year received a phenomenal £100,000 donation to support a three-year pioneering digital arts project.

If you want to support and get involved with the Barker-Mill Foundation’s pledge to plant 5000 trees across Hampshire, please email info@barkermillfoundation.com including details of your organisation, where you plan to plant the tree(s) and the impact you hope the trees will have on your environment and surroundings. Campaign packs and the tree(s) will then be sent out post-lockdown.