The Duke of Gloucester visits £400,000 fund that has transformed 9,000 lives in Didcot
The Duke celebrates Oxfordshire market town's pioneering business-charity partnership that has delivered 70 grants in just three years
His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester visited Didcot Powerhouse Fund
His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester visited Bee House at Milton Park on Thursday 24 July to celebrate a remarkable community success story – the Didcot Powerhouse Fund, which has distributed £400,000 in grants to nearly 9,000 residents in just three years, representing what experts call "a blueprint for addressing one of Britain's most persistent challenges."
The unique place-based fund, which has delivered 70 grants across Greater Didcot's 46,000 residents, represents a fundamental shift from traditional corporate social responsibility – bringing together local businesses and charities to tackle everything from domestic abuse support to youth skills training with unprecedented efficiency and impact.
Elizabeth Paris, Chair of the Didcot Powerhouse Fund and Deputy Lieutenant for Oxfordshire with special responsibility for Didcot, said: "The Didcot Powerhouse Fund was created because we believe local people understand local needs best. From the very beginning, we've been focused on building a stronger, fairer and more connected community by linking the innovation and generosity of our local businesses with the expertise and passion of our local charities.
Elizabeth Paris greeting His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester at Bee House with Philip Campbell
Elizabeth went on to say: “It's an honour to welcome His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester to meet the people behind this collaboration – from donors and volunteers to frontline charity workers. It's a story of placemaking in action, where purpose-led businesses and community groups are coming together to shape a more hopeful future for Didcot.”
His Royal Highness was accompanied by Oxfordshire’s Lord Lieutenant Mrs Marjory Glasgow BEM, and the visit was arranged by the Lieutenancy Office.
His Royal Highness met with businesses with a national and international reach who are investing in local social impact by donating to the Powerhouse Fund:
Mark Johnson, Managing and Technical Director, Croft Associates Limited
Croft Associates develops solutions for the safe transportation of radioactive materials.
David Pryor, Chair, Didcot First
An independent, apolitical body connecting business, community, education and charities.
Kathryn Wilkes, Head of HR, Evotec
Evotec is an R&D BioTech pioneering next generation approaches to drug discovery.
Matt Wright, CEO, Hachette UK and Hachette Book Group US Distribution
Hachette is one of the largest publishing groups in the UK
Bobby Patel, Technology Manager, Infineum
Infineum is a Speciality Chemicals Company with R&D focused on innovations for sustainability.
Philip Campbell, Commercial Director, MEPC Milton Park
Milton Park is the UK’s largest single-ownership innovation community with over 250 organisations.
Luke Marion, Managing Director, Oxford Bus Company at The Go-Ahead Group
Oxford Bus Company runs bus services across Oxfordshire.
Kate Wareing, CEO, SOHA
Soha Housing is an award-winning, community-based housing association with 8,000 homes.
Philip Vickery, Managing Director, Total Projects
Total Projects provides construction, design and build services for office and laboratory spaces.
Powerhouse Donors meet The Duke of Gloucester at Bee House
Philip Campbell, Commercial Director of MEPC Milton Park, a founding member of the Powerhouse Advisory Group, said: “I believe it’s important for all businesses that the environment they operate in thrives, and collectively, we have a responsibility to contribute to the place we’re a part of. For those with global reach, the Didcot Powerhouse Fund is a brilliant way to stay grounded and invest in meaningful change, helping to support a range of worthy causes for the local area.
“It has been a real privilege to host this royal visit and to champion the Powerhouse’s mission to create opportunities, tackle inequalities and build a stronger community. I’d like to also pay a special thanks to all our occupiers who have so kindly supported the Powerhouse over the past few years.”
The Duke of Gloucester then went on to speak to 12 local organisations and charities whose vital work has been made possible thanks to Powerhouse grants.
His Royal Highness moved from group to group, speaking to each representative of the organisations, exploring who they support and how. Hearing first-hand the impact the funding has had on those they support. Some organisations have been grant recipients from when the fund was created in 2022, whilst others are new to the Powerhouse this year.
Support in Crisis Group included:
The Cornermen – supporting male mental health and suicide prevention
Survivor Space – therapeutic support for survivors of sexual violence
Reducing the Risk of Domestic Abuse – training volunteers to identify and support victims of domestic abuse
Steve James, CEO of The Cornermen, commented: “Without that first Powerhouse grant, I doubt The Cornermen could have survived our first year. And their trust in us was a huge confidence boost. Now we have strengthened our governance, increased our partnership working and are on our way to becoming a CIO.”
His Royal Highness talking to Bella from Reducing the Risk of Domestic Abuse
Support for Early Years Group included:
Didcot Baby Monday – offering early years play and specialist parenting support
OxPIP (Oxford Parent Infant Project) – therapeutic services for parents and infants
Home-Start Southern Oxfordshire – running stay-and-play sessions and early years support in new communities
Expressing what the Didcot Powerhouse Fund has meant to Didcot Baby Monday, their CEO, Kathryn Goldsby-West shared: “Three years ago we were a struggling community group and uncertain of our future. Now we are a registered charity and celebrating our tenth birthday this year. It’s not just the vital funding, but the ongoing advice and support from the Powerhouse and Didcot Charity Support Hub that have encouraged and enabled us to grow.”
The Duke of Gloucester talking to Kathryn Goldsby-West and other representatives of the Early Years Group
Raising Potential Group included:
Digit<all> – coding workshops focused on climate awareness and digital skills for children
International Welcome Café – English lessons and community café for new arrivals to the UK
South Oxfordshire Muslim Association Impact Initiative – life skills and youth confidence programmes led by young volunteers
His Royal Highness engaging with Digit<all> among the Raising Potential Group of organisations
Supporting Young People Group included:
ARCh (Assisted Reading for Children in Oxfordshire) – one-to-one reading support in primary schools
Didcot TRAIN – youth mentoring and support services
Quest for Learning – literacy and numeracy programmes tackling education disadvantage
The Duke of Gloucester talking to the Supporting Young People group of organisations
The visit highlights how the Didcot Powerhouse Fund has become a powerful example of local placemaking, where businesses and charities work hand-in-hand to strengthen the social fabric of Didcot and the surrounding area. Writing in the business magazine Business Matters this week, King Charles' official representative in Oxfordshire, the Lord Lieutenant Marjorie Glasgow BEM, said the fund's approach offers a blueprint for addressing one of Britain's most persistent challenges: how to harness private sector resources for genuine community benefit.
His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester talking to Arthur from Didcot TRAIN with the Lord Lieutenant Marjorie Glasgow BEM and Elizabeth Paris DL, Chair of Didcot Powerhouse Fund