Charities
Each year the committee chooses a charity, preferably Oxford-based, to support by collections of money and appropriate gifts. Representatives of the charities have been invited to the annual carol service to explain their work to members of the College.
Starting in 2009, a collecting box for the year’s charity has been put out at events held in the Chapel so that anybody wishing to show their appreciation of the event can do so. Since 2007, the Chapel has raised over £5,000 (plus Gift Aid) for a variety of causes.
You can learn more about the charities we have supported below.
Chapel Charities (2009-2019)
Our chosen charity for 2018-19 was MEET in Oxford. MEET in Oxford provides trauma-focused therapy to people living in Oxfordshire who are unable to afford private therapy or access appropriate NHS or insurance funded therapy. For further information about MEET in Oxford, please see their website.
The total sum raised by the College for MEET in Oxford was £702.46.
Our chosen charity for 2017-18 was Archway. Archway is a voluntary organisation and befriending service based within the City of Oxford and works with people in Oxford and Abingdon to help relieve some of the distress caused by loneliness. For more information on the work that Archway do, please visit their website.
The total sum raised by the College for Archway was £850.96.
Amongst other things, the money raised by the College went towards a number of Archway Christmas events which took place over the festive period, including a Carols and Christingles event and the Wednesday Welcome’s (Archway's weekly call-in café) Winter Wonderland event.
Our chosen charity for 2016-17 was FarmAbility, an outdoor, farm-based programme for people with autism and/or learning disabilities.
Throughout the year, an amazing £583.36 was raised. This included:
- £258.36 from the annual Carols Service and collection
- £150 from the College Donations Committee
- £100 from a charity bake sale
- £75 from the End of Year Academic Service and Collection.
Our chosen charity for 2015-2016 was SeeSaw, an Oxfordshire charity that supports children and young people going through bereavement.
'Through practical support and understanding, SeeSaw works with children and families to help them manage the difficult times before and after the death of a loved one, and to face the future with hope.'
So far, we have raised a total of £370.80 at our Carol Service in December 2015.
In a ‘thank you’ from SeeSaw Director Helen Mackinnon to Nuffield Emeritus Fellow Lucy Carpenter, wrote:
‘Thank you very much to you and everyone at Nuffield for the generous donation […] This is really appreciated and we can assure you that every penny will go directly towards helping SeeSaw provide bereaved children in Oxfordshire with the support that they need at a very difficult time in their lives and help them to face the future with hope.’
Our chosen charity for 2014 - 15 was ARCh. At ARCh they recruit, train and support volunteers in primary schools across Oxfordshire, they help hundreds of children a year.
The children have two individual half-hour sessions each week during term-time with their ARCh volunteer. The sessions are at school during school hours. The main idea is to make the children feel happy and successful, so they start to think of reading as something they can enjoy.
With this in mind, ARCh volunteers do a variety of things with the children. In addition to reading they may play word, board or memory games, make and draw things, help the children write their own stories, or just talk. This all helps to boost confidence.
If you would like to volunteer for ARCh please visit the Volunteer section of their website for more information.
In 2014 an amazing total of £656.20 was raised. This includes:
- £239.20 raised at the Nuffield Carol Service
- a contribution of £200 from Nuffield College's Donations Committee
- £115 donated by the University of Oxford German Society
- £102 collected at the End of Academic Year Service
Our chosen charity for 2013 - 14 was the Oxford Food Bank. Just over 4 years old, the Oxford Food Bank began with 3 volunteers, now with 100, they provide food for the needy in the Oxford area, saving tonnes of good produce from going to waste.
Deliveries are made to 41 charities, with two vans out on the road everyday, collecting and delivering 150 tonnes of food a year, which would have otherwise been sent to landfill.
Approximately half of their monthly expenditure is met by donations from individuals who support them through bank standing orders and they have a very active fundraising arm.
Many college members are now volunteering for Oxford Food Bank and if you would like to find out more please visit their website.
In 2013 the Carol Service raised an amazing £260.50.
Our chosen charity for 2012-13 was the homeless charity Emmaus, more specifically its Oxford branch. Emmaus enables people to move on from homelessness, providing work and a home in a supportive, family environment.
The total raised to date, which includes the retiring collection from the 2012 carol service, is £370.
The year of 2007-08 saw the selection of our first charity. We chose the Gatehouse, an Oxford-based charity providing food, shelter and company to Oxford's homeless and poorly housed population.
The theme of homelessness was the emphasis of the 2007 carol service and obviously caught the imagination of College members. The retiring collection for The Gatehouse raised just over £120, and several sacks of practical gifts (socks, gloves, etc.) were amassed at the collection point in the Lodge.
The Committee chose The Gatehouse again in 2011-2012 and raised funds for their move to the Parish Rooms at St Giles' Church.
The retiring collection at the 2011 carol service raised a fantastic £223, along with a couple of boxes of practical gifts as before.
The retiring collection at the 2012 Anniversary Service raised an amazing £262.
Our chosen charity for 2010-11 was the Thames Valley & Chiltern Air Ambulance Trust, which provides a life saving service 7 days a week, 365 days a year, covering the three counties of Oxfordshire, Berkshire and Buckinghamshire.
From the photographic competition, carol service and a chapel visit, we raised a fantastic £169.10 for the Trust. There was also a hugely generous response to the appeal for textile recycling.
A second collection of textiles was organised by popular request at the end of Trinity Term, as a result of which 14 large bags were sent to the charity. At the same time a further £24.92 was donated in cash, along with a generous number of foreign coins on which we are unable to put a direct value, but which will be put to good use by the Trust.
On behalf of the Air Ambulance Trust, the Chapel Committee would like to thank College members for all their support during the year.
Our charity for 2009-10 was the Silver Star Unit, which provides high level care to those mothers who have major troubles during their pregnancies, often affecting the health and safety of both mother and baby.
You can support them further by attending their events. Details are available on their website.
Over the year we raised £383.42, some of which was able to be gift aided, for the Silver Star Unit. This has come from several events held in the Chapel. We are grateful for everyone’s generosity.
The photographic competition and the carol service between them raised the excellent sum of £168.46, which was gift aided, adding a further 28%. A box of baby clothes, new and used, was also donated to the unit.
The concert by the local folk group, Spire, raised the magnificent sum of £130.36 for the Silver Star Unit, due in no small part to Spire’s generosity in donating half the income from their CD sales. Thanks to all.
The engaging talk by Frances Spalding and the delightful summer concert between them raised a further £34.50.
The Chapel Committee are also grateful for a donation of £50.00 to the Silver Star Society on behalf of the College, thanks to a tour of the College art collection given by Richard Mayou.