Beyond Buckinghamshire, the Foundation has recently made a range of investments in line with our three main areas of interest: the environment, culture and social welfare. We are starting to develop a more specific focus within these broad areas: sustainable food systems; digital and culture; employability and skills for young people. The theme that unites these focus areas is targeting the Foundation’s resource towards addressing the opportunities and challenges of the future. This includes enabling young people, the custodians of the future. Here we share a flavour of our more nationally focused philanthropy.

We are delighted to support Hubbub, an award winning environmental campaigning charity, to expand their Community Fridge network into ten areas of the UK with low health and inequality over the next 3 years. Rothschild Foundation funding will also support the expansion of Catch 22’s Horizons employment programme in London, engaging 150 young people in full-time work or training. Collaborating with the Royal Shakespeare Company, we will support three Digital Fellowships which explore the benefits of new technologies for the arts.

These grants reflect the shocks of the coronavirus pandemic which have increased food poverty, driven youth unemployment, and stimulated exploration of digital culture. They underpin our wider response to the pandemic, which we know will continue to be felt by society across the UK for many years.