Sir Gavin Williamson attended events run by Staffordshire Community Foundation in Stone to show his support for voluntary organisations.
Sir Gavin visited the Frank Jordan Community Centre alongside Steve Adams the Chief Executive of Staffordshire Community Foundation, where he met with volunteers who run a range of groups including a wellness café, fitness classes, and internet support facilities.
The Community Foundation is the largest independent grant provider in Staffordshire, awarding more than £3 million every year to community groups. The charity manages more than £10 million in investments, along with a small property portfolio. Their funding comes from: private individuals, local businesses, fundraising events, public sector grants, police and crime commissioners, and Government.
Sir Gavin said: "It was fantastic to be able to see the wonderful volunteers who do so much across Staffordshire to put on a range of classes and events which are thoroughly enjoyed by the local community.
“I have seen first-hand how vital these voluntary groups are – whether it is supporting mental health, offering financial advice, plugging the digital divide, or offering exercise classes; volunteers do so much for our communities.
“I am grateful to Staffordshire Community Foundation for their tireless work in securing funding for these projects, as well as all the advice and guidance they provide to volunteers and organisations.”
Steve Adams, the Chief Executive of Staffordshire Community Foundation said: “The voluntary and community sector plays a massive part in making Staffordshire such a fantastic place to live and work.
“Often it can be overlooked, and so it was fantastic to meet with Sir Gavin to see some of the local projects we’ve funded. Not only is it good for organisations to be able to chat with their MP about their work, it also opens up conversations between their service users and their local MP. We were delighted that Sir Gavin made so much time available, and was so enthusiastic, to visit some of the work going on in his constituency.”
