Grant foundation boosted by car manufacturer

Tina Costello with David Connell

A grant-giving organisation which supports charities across the West Midlands will continue grow even further thanks to the support of a leading car manufacturer.

PSA Groupe, which owns the Peugeot, Citroen, DS and more recently Vauxhall vehicle brands, has welcomed the Heart of England Community Foundation into its head office at Pinley House in Coventry.

The foundation supports the voluntary and community sector across the region with grants on behalf a range of donors ensuring money is channelled to where it is most needed.

PSA Groupe has had a relationship with the foundation since 1995, when the MD of Peugeot at the time, Richard Pareham, was also the vice-chair of trustees for the foundation.

He suggested meeting at Peugeot’s offices, and the company subsequently offered the foundation some office space to allow it to start up.

Since that time, PSA Groupe has supported the foundation in a variety of ways. It has allowed the foundation to use space in its former offices at Tile Hill and Aldermoor House, and became the foundation’s corporate patron in 2014, saving £55,000 per year in operating costs.

Tina Costello, CEO of the Heart of England Community Foundation, said: “PSA Groupe has supported us for a very long time, and we’re so grateful that they have let us move into Pinley House.
“They were the first major donor to our endowments and their investment currently stands at over £360,000. We distribute the income to voluntary and community groups across Coventry and Warwickshire.

“Without PSA’s continued support, the Foundation wouldn’t have grown to where we are today. And our move into Pinley House will only allow us to flourish even further.”

David Connell, PSA Groupe HR director for Northern Europe, added: “The work the Heart of England Community Foundation does on a daily basis to support charities in Coventry, Warwickshire and the wider West Midlands is so important.

“Smaller charities who might go under the radar can be supported by larger companies thanks to the Foundation’s knowledge and expertise.

“We have supported them for more than twenty years, so it was only fitting that we continued our support by welcoming the Foundation to move into Pinley House with us.”

 

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