I’ve started a foundation to give to charities in Northern Ireland.
I called it the Lightbody Foundation because it is a family organisation. The foundation is made up of my sister Sarah, one of my best friends Davy Matchett (who I’ve known since I was 13 years old), Candice Cathers who has worked tirelessly with Davy and myself at Third Bar for many years and John D’Arcy one of the founder members and guiding lights of the Oh Yeah Centre in Belfast. People who are either my actual family or my adopted family.
The other reason I named it the Lightbody Foundation is because when I was young I hated my name. People always laughed at it. It made me embarrassed. Now I love it. I’m proud of it. It’s strange and wonderful and it was passed down to me by my dear dad. I’m proud to use it for something I have put my heart into.
We will be making donations to 5 or 6 charities twice a year. At this time they will all be charities in Northern Ireland. In time I hope we can widen our net to the whole of Ireland and the UK but because of both looming brexit and no government in northern ireland for 2 years charities (especially smaller ones) are being marginalised and underfunded. We want to try and help some of those NI charities that struggle in these tough times.
We have partnered with the Community Foundation For Northern Ireland. They have been a massive help in connecting us with charities across the country. Thank you to them for their help and support.
There is no remit. We’ll give to causes across the board. Mental health, education, music, dementia, sport, cancer and disease research and many other things… I don’t want to narrow our focus. The focus is northern ireland, countrywide. Across communities and divides. As a great man once said “there is no them, there’s only us”.
The money will come from me. We will not be asking for public donations ever (the people of NI give a lot to charity already) but we will at some point in the future be asking businesses that have done well in NI to match our donations.
So that’s a little about us. From now on anything posted here will solely be about the charities we’re working with.
Our first round of donations are going to these wonderful charities. They will get 10,000 pounds each.
Drake Music Project NI
- Providing access to music making for children and adults with complex disabilities.
Youthlife
- Bereavement counselling for children and young people.
Youth Action NI
- 70 years working with disadvantaged, excluded young people so their voices are heard, respected and valued and to improve their life chances.
SOS Bus NI
- Providing a safe haven for vulnerable people on the streets of Belfast for the past 10 years.
Every Day Harmony
- The NI Music Therapy Trust - leaders in music therapy in Northern Ireland. Providing therapists to schools, private individuals and all health trusts.
Alzheimer's Society
- Providing information and support, fund research and create lasting change for people affected by dementia
Love to you all.
Gary Lightbody. x