Good morning everybody.
I'm really honored to be here. A huge thank you to Adam Hawksbee, Seb Payne and the entire Onward team for organizing today's event.
I wanted to start with some thoughts about lions.
We begin with the story of two young men in the desert.
They see lions facing them and one of them bends over and puts on a sweatshirt.
says the other. Why would you do that? You will never run faster than a lion.
No, to be the first to answer, I run faster than you.
This is a story about how sometimes we think of ourselves instead of others.
In fact, no human can survive alone in front of a lion. If you cooperate with others… 2 people, 10 people, 20 people can survive.
You can achieve more if you think about how you can collaborate with others, not just yourself.
Today we're talking about philanthropy, so I'll talk about that.
Britain has always thrived as a community-oriented country.
Communities are the foundation of life in this country, serving as the network that connects us all and supporting the poorest people.
Britain has a strong tradition of wealthy industrialists and business leaders contributing to the communities of which they were a part.
The Cadbury family in Birmingham. Lever Brothers of Wirral. And the factory owners in Manchester and Bradford are people like Sir Titus Salt.
They have a duty to their community that goes beyond a mere employment relationship and is linked to the well-being of the society to which they belong by forging strong philanthropic bonds with the community. I understood that.
Of course, the world is still moving forward today.
After World War II, the creation and expansion of the welfare state meant that governments took on an important role in providing things that had previously been left to others, such as providing health services and providing economic support for unemployment and illness. It meant that it became.
And, of course, it is the responsibility of governments to protect and support people in our society, especially the most disadvantaged.
But while government is and must continue to be essential to helping people, it is not and should not always be the answer to everything.
Governments should also join the partnership.
They also have a role to play in ensuring that the partnership is effective.
Governments need to ensure a framework within which others can donate. And to encourage that donation.
And there is no doubt that British society plays an important role and is already very generous.
Donations to charities in 2022 reached a record £12.7bn, up from £10.7bn the previous year, according to the Charitable Aid Foundation's latest annual report.
However, it is interesting to read in your report the challenges that exist in this field. Historically, the most fortunate people have given more charity, but it hasn't always gone to where it's needed most.
And the benefits of philanthropy are not felt equally across the country.
So we as governments need to think about how we can do more, working with those who can and want to do more.
This is a top priority for me. This is something I have focused on since my appointment as Secretary of State for the DCMS, and I welcome Onward's significant contribution to this important debate.
And I want to focus my efforts on three key areas: enabling, encouraging and recognizing philanthropy.
We need to make the most of the untapped potential that exists throughout society.
So I've looked carefully and I'm building on the work that we're already doing across government, which is a lot of the things that you identified in your report.
Streamlining gift assistance.
We will work with the FCA and HMT to explore the potential for greater philanthropy training.
and promote and support stronger community and partnership giving.
Because if you get the formula right, you can encourage even more people and organizations to donate.
But I also think it's right to recognize that as a nation, we are sometimes reluctant to talk about earning and giving.
There may also be a reluctance to recognize wealth as a positive force in society.
To make matters worse, we often look down on those who are successful or have contributed.
A big part of the equation is unashamedly championing philanthropy.
And for that to happen, I believe we need a collective attitude shift.
A message full of hope.
Philanthropists and aspiring philanthropists need to know that we not only recognize their giving, but celebrate it.
Onward's illuminating report highlights the fact that we tend to view charity, especially corporate charity, with mild suspicion.
What is the agenda? What are they going to gain?
This scrutiny almost automatically assumes that those who donate are motivated by cynical motives or PR stunts to improve their public image.
Desiring transparency is healthy, but it clouds our judgment and discourages would-be philanthropists.
We need these individuals, businesses, and groups, and it would be complacent to think otherwise.
In the United States, we honor great philanthropists from Bill Gates, Melinda Gates, Mike Bloomberg to Mackenzie Scott.
You can definitely do more to create a positive giving environment at home.
Charity Commission Chair Orlando Fraser said: “Donations are good for the giver, good for those who benefit and good for society as a whole.”
We must start by praising organizations that give generously, whether through sponsorship or donations. I don't mean to criticize.
Look at the last few years.
The Science Museum was forced to give up its support from Shell.
The National Portrait Gallery has come under unfair criticism for being sponsored by a law firm.
I think we should say 'thank you' to BP for recently pledging a donation of £50m to BM, the largest donation of its kind.
The ultimate beneficiaries of these sponsorships are all of us.
Government funding maintains free admission and access to some of the world's greatest museums and galleries, but extraordinary acts of generosity, such as donations and sponsorships, widen access to great works of art and heritage. This is the key.
These will help drive tourist flows to the UK and maintain our soft power overseas.
And when we work together, national, local collaboration, local support. It's even more effective.
We should celebrate our new charity networks, such as Made in Stoke, which are reviving a trend of local philanthropy dating back to Victorian times.
Josiah Wedgwood, an 18th century pottery magnate and one of Stoke's best-known entrepreneurs, built a model village for workers in his Staffordshire pottery factories, and set an example for decades to come. It is famous that it was shown.
Now, the Made in Stoke network brings together local universities, football clubs, charities, philanthropists and councils to reinvest in the places that make them successful.
Matthew Bowcock, one of the network's champions, describes its purpose as “tapping into the intense pride and loyalty felt by people who were born, raised in, or connected to this city in some way.” Well summarized.
To date, thanks to Made in Stoke, £10,000 has been invested in children's sporting activities and £50,000 in children's dance and ballet classes.
Made in Stoke is a true partnership. It benefits from both government funding, local funding and philanthropic funding.
And this partnership brings together donors in Stoke who are willing and able to work with the city council and community groups to serve the people of the city.
This is a hugely successful partnership and one we should emulate across the country.
Jason Stockwood, who is on the panel today, is a great example of the kind of philanthropy we want to champion.
I know Jason has talked about his motivations as Chair of the Grimsby Horizon Youth Zone and how he felt he had the opportunity to make a difference as an entrepreneur.
And he does that through the Youth Zone, Grimsby Town FC and onside Grimsby Centre.
And Jason isn't alone.
Sir Roger de Haan, who made his fortune from the Saga holiday company, has transformed the face of Folkestone Harbor since buying it for £11 million in 2004 and rejuvenating it. Ta.
His contribution to Folkestone helped turn around the town's fortunes and the high street was transformed. Today, it is known as the Creative Quarter, filled with bars and art galleries for locals to enjoy.
Former investment banker Jonathan Laffer has donated around £120 million to the local Bishop of Auckland to ensure its great heritage, from Auckland Tower and Auckland Castle to the Spanish Gallery, is preserved.
And Jonathan's interest goes beyond just preserving what was already there: thanks to his support, the palace now houses a museum about the history of Christianity and faith in Britain.
Or take Andrew Law, the hedge fund chief executive who has quietly backed causes from Salford's Lowry theater complex to Magee's cancer center to Robert Peston's school speakers. Sho.
Two years ago, Mr Andrew donated £6 million to the University of Sheffield, where he was educated, to encourage applications from poor teenagers, making it the largest single donation in the university's 116-year history. Funded gene therapy research.
There are positive examples like this all over the country.
They are evidence of the huge difference that philanthropy can make, if it were ever needed.
And those are the main reasons why my outlook is overwhelmingly positive.
And the enduring strength of philanthropy in the UK reflects our recognition of our common humanity.
That is why a third of us donated money to Ukraine when the war broke out in 2021.
That's why national donations rose by £2 billion last year.
But you can also go further. You can find ways to give more.
Creating a policy environment that makes giving easier and more rewarding.
Cultivating a core of wealthy individuals who reinvest in the local communities that contributed to their growth.
Recognize individuals and groups who give back.
If a lion approaches, let's fight it together as a community. Not alone.
So, don't be shy and be proactive about philanthropy in this country.
And let's work together to make it happen.
thank you.