The National Family Fund is now formally incubated by Catalyst4Change
image credit: www.4wardeveruk.org
source: 4WardEverUK | published: 8 August 2020
We are pleased to announce that (with effect from 29 July 2020) the National Mikey Powell Memorial Family Fund (NMPMFF) is now formally incubated by West Midlands based social enterprise Catalyst 4 Change, thereby taking on its legal identity but maintaining our operational independence.
Catalyst 4 Change has a powerful social mission to strengthen the capacity and networks of user-led, voluntary, social enterprise, grassroots, statutory organisations and businesses to ensure the right mental health care is in place.
The Catalyst 4 Change team is made up of directors and associates that came together in 2015 with a shared vision to tackle mental health inequalities, and support grassroots activities aimed at those affected. The team have several decades of combined experience in delivering a range of wellbeing and community initiatives to some of the most vulnerable people in our society.
How this helps the National Family Fund!
Being incubated by Catalyst 4 Change provides the NMPMFF with a legally constituted lead/governing body to guide and administer good governance and accountability practices. The incubation also opens up new avenues of funding and income generation for the NMPMFF until it is formally constituted in its own right.
Other long term aims of the NMPMFF include:
- Stage a range of national events (e.g. live music, theatre & drama, films & Q&A’s etc) to raise both awareness of the issues of deaths in custody in the UK, and revenue for the fund
- Develop regional helplines (in partnership with Red Alert HELP!) for families concerned about a loved one detained in police, immigration, prison institutions or detained under the Mental Health Act
- Develop a range of counselling & therapy hubs across the UK to help children, young people and families deal with the devastation following a custody death
- Provide respite, group outings and short UK-based holidays for families affected
Mikey’s cousin, Tippa Naphtali said;
“This fund has the potential to make a real difference for families and their campaign groups that need financial support during the often long and drawn out struggles for justice that can last for decades.
“The needs of affected families and children can often get lost in the equally important work of campaigning and lobbying of state institutions. We want to change that with a permanent national support fund set up specifically for their needs.“
Part of a recent Lottery grant will support the Therapy Care Initiative Pilot, a 1-year programme that will identify up to 10 recently bereaved UK families that require therapeutic support.
Since becoming the Children’s Commissioner, I have travelled across the country meeting children whose lives are shaped by decisions made far away from them, whose voices are rarely heard.
In 2023 The NMPMFF revamped our MemberBASE service which combines contributions to the Fund with a number of extra benefits. Your support is needed - please help!
Dr David Crepaz-Keay, from the Mental Health Foundation, said: "This reform must lead to better treatment, and greater focus on support that keeps people reaching crisis or being detained."
Over the last 2+ years the NMPMFF has lost approximately 116 of our regular monthly donors leaving just 63; and recently saw the end of core funding for two critical staff.
"To the world Benjamin was the renowned writer, poet, human rights activist and more'. To us, his family, he was also all of these things, but most importantly he was family."
