THE FRANK HAINES MEMORIAL TRUST

Between 1999 and his death in 2006, Frank was a very proud resident of Stepney, East London. He enjoyed chatting to local grocers about which ingredients they could recommend for his next experimental curry recipe and spent innumerable Sunday afternoons exploring the backstreets, parks and hidden treasures of the neighbourhood of which he was so fond.

He also talked extensively about one day doing something entrepreneurial which might help local children and tackle some of the terrible deprivation that blights Tower Hamlets. It is this that has shaped the thinking behind the Frank Haines Memorial Trust.

What will the Trust do?

The Trust will support youth work in Tower Hamlets, the second most deprived borough in the UK, where 59% of children live in poverty. Health problems amongst young people are rife and life expectancy is significantly lower than the national average. Youth work provides a critical means of support, education and opportunity for young people who otherwise have precious few prospects in life.

For the next five years, the Trustees will support one or more charities working with young people in East London, and make a donation to them with specific goals in mind. This will ensure that some good will come out of Frank’s tragic death. For the foreseeable future, this charity will be Oxford House.

What is Oxford House?

Oxford House is a community and art centre, first established in 1884. It is involved in a variety of youth, immigration, arts & community work. The Youth Services provide a range of services to young people aged 13-19 years, with a new project aimed specifically at the Somali Community in partnership with the council. Oxford House is hoping to expand its Youth Services over the next year, and we hope that the Trust will support this.

Funding goals

Youth work charities constantly struggle to raise the revenue to pay salaries of trained frontline workers. Our initial ambition for year one is to raise £30k to pay a salary for one senior youth worker. This individual will offer support to young people who are otherwise at high risk of falling into harmful activities involving crime and drugs, with terrible risks attached.

Oxford House specialises in arts-based projects. £5k would fund a 10-week arts course for local children, giving them a vital outlet for creativity and a positive evening activity. Within Somali youth-work, £2-3k can sponsor individual Somalis as part of a peer-to-peer training project.

If you would like to hear more about specific activities and the difference they make, or to make a targeted donation, you can email the trust at frankhainestrust@googlegroups.com

Registered charity no. 1118472