Good causes

WPA Benevolent
Foundation

It is well recognised and established that improving the health of young people is proven to have a significant effect on the lifestyle choices and long-term health of their wider families. As a result, the WPA Benevolent Foundation fulfils WPA's second constitutional objective and has a clear remit: to promote good health in young people.

Find out more

WPA Charitable
Foundation

Find out more

WPA Charitable Foundation

The WPA Charitable Foundation´s roots go back to the 1940s when the Western Provident Association was known as the Bristol Hospitals Fund.

The Charity is registered with the Charity Commission: https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/charity-commission.

The role of the WPA Charitable Foundation is to support and assist families in the South West in financial distress with profoundly ill children and to support projects promoting the good health of children. These children, more often than not, require intensive specialised treatment far from home, often for days or weeks at a time and the Charity provides essential help with travelling costs - which makes so much difference in these deeply distressing circumstances.

Sadly, it is not possible to apply directly for assistance - the Charity relies upon a network, established over many years, of Social Services Officers and healthcare professionals to bring essential, documented cases to the attention of our grants team.

If you would like to make a donation or need further information please contact us at info@wpacharitablefoundation.org

In addition to our direct charitable endeavours, WPA has a formal policy that grants two fully paid days of Charity-Work leave to all members of staff, to be spent on any local charitable cause of their choice.

Here are some recent, real examples that demonstrate the help and support that we provide (names have been changed to preserve anonymity):

Zac – aged 15 (2020)

Zac has cancer in several parts of his body and is currently undergoing 3 months of chemotherapy and radiotherapy in Bristol. His mother has been made redundant, COVID-19 has closed his father’s business for the foreseeable future and they are being supported by their family. The Charity has been able to help with hospital travel costs, giving the family a small relief in challenging times.

Mary – aged 5 (2020)

Mary choked on a grape, could not breathe and was not expected to survive. After over a year of neuro-rehabilitation she is unable to move or walk, has epilepsy and is tube fed. With 4 siblings, Mary’s father has left home and she is looked after by her mother. The Charity was pleased to help with the extensive travel costs to and from hospital.

Charlie – aged 15 (2020) 

Charlie was left with severe brain damage following surgery to remove a benign brain tumour and is receiving ongoing intensive neuro-rehabilitation. His mother stays with him at the hospital during the week, whilst his father is at home with his sister. The Charity has supported the significant transport costs between their home in Cornwall and Bristol.

Mo – aged 2 (2020)

Mo had to stay in hospital for 6 weeks after being born and was readmitted 5 weeks later for several open-heart operations. With his mother on maternity leave and self-employed father unable to work, the Charity was able to help.

Petal - aged 10 (2020)

Petal was diagnosed with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukaemia in 2016. She relapsed in 2019 and is receiving intensive treatment including a bone marrow transplant far from home. The Charity’s support has relieved, to some extent, a few of the financial pressures upon the family.

Harry - aged 1 (2020)

Harry was diagnosed with Retinoblastoma in both eyes at the end of 2019. One eye has been removed and he is currently undergoing a 6 month course of chemotherapy requiring treatment in Bristol, Birmingham and Bath. The Charity was able to help with some of the travel costs.

WPA Benevolent Foundation

The Foundation likes to support projects throughout the South West, working with communities and special-interest groups who share our hopes and ambitions. Longer-term partnerships ensure that we are able to work from the inception of a ´good idea´ through to maturity.

The Trustees of the WPA Benevolent Foundation direct the work of the Foundation and decide which health and wellbeing projects it will support. At the current time we are broadening our footprint - extending the Somerset primary schools project more nationally, whilst continuing to support the WPA Charitable Foundation.

Unfortunately, the WPA Benevolent Foundation is not able to accept applications unless their submission has been agreed in advance. If you would like to be considered, please send a brief project description by e-mail, including a contact telephone number, to charlie.macewan@wpafoundation.org and he will be able to guide you as to whether your project falls within the priority areas for the Foundation.

The Benevolent Foundation is the Corporate Trustee of the WPA Charitable Foundation, which supports families in the South West in financial distress with profoundly ill children and supports projects promoting the good health of children.