Wiltshire Community Foundation celebrates 20 years of generosity from RWK Goodman

Wiltshire Community Foundation is proud to celebrate 20 years of partnership with legal experts RWK Goodman, who have generously supported us since 2004.

RWK Goodman hold an endowment fund with the Foundation, set up in 2004, which helps to build an asset for the long-term benefit of the local community. Our endowment is made up of multiple funds which are invested in, and the returns are used for grant-making year after year. They are a great way to leave a legacy and lasting impact, and community foundations such as ourselves are specialists in managing them.

Their generosity has helped fund multiple projects within our county in the last two decades, positively impacting many lives. Over the past year in particular, six groups have benefitted from grants taken from the endowment fund.

One of those is Swindon Sisters Alliance, a community interest company which provides a safe space for women to find help and companionship from domestic abuse. They own three shops in Swindon, and are described by owner Emma King as ‘doorways to support’. The staff themselves have lived experience of domestic abuse, and they can signpost women to other services, and distribute emergency foodbank vouchers.

Another group that has received funding taken from the endowment is Swindon SEND Families Voice, a charity who supports families with children who have special educational needs and disabilities. They were awarded a Community Grant in June 2023, to support the organisation to run a phoneline for advice, a SEND Sharing Service, and various support sessions for parents and children. The Community Grant that they received included some of the funds from the RWK Goodman endowment.

The other groups and projects that received funding from their endowment in the previous 12 months were the Recovery Tree, Well-City Salisbury, Changing Suits, and the New Mechanics Institute Preservation Trust.

RWK Goodman has also been instrumental in generating funds by recommending our philanthropy services to their clients which in turn has raised a significant amount of money in donations to the Foundation.

We work with professional advisors such as RWK Goodman to help their clients with philanthropy advice and to identify suitable local causes for them to give to. We are also able to arrange trust transfers and arrange legacy gifts in wills. You can find more about this in our Guide to Giving here. 

Speaking about the relationship between the Foundation and RWK Goodman, our joint Chief Executive, Fiona Oliver, said: “We are absolutely delighted to be celebrating 20 years of our relationship with RWK Goodman.

“Their endowment fund has helped us award grants to fund multiple groups within our community and change many lives, and we are extremely thankful to them for their invaluable generosity. It is a fantastic example of the legacy that this fund with us can have. We are very much looking forward to the future, and further demonstrating how much good holding an endowment with us can do.

“Thanks to referrals from them, we have received a significant charitable donation from a client, and a trust transfer from another client. We are very proud of our relationship with RWK Goodman and look forward to the future with them.”

Robert Collins, lead of RWK Goodman’s relationship with Wiltshire Community Foundation said: “We are proud to be associated with the Wiltshire Community Foundation who align with our shared commitment to fostering positive change. Over the past 20 years, we have been privileged to see the impact of their work and are pleased to be able to support this organisation.”

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