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Charity Work

Donna is delighted to be involved with a number of charities which are important to her; supporting maternal and neonatal wellbeing, social inclusion, homelessness, education and the arts. Below is a summary of Donna’s recent charitable work across these sectors.

The Prebendal School Chichester

Dear Mrs Ockenden

Thank you for awarding me this award and letting me chose a charity,

Kinds regards

Prebendal School student (who chose WWF as her charity)

The Prebendal School Chichester

Dear Mrs Ockenden

Thank you so much for donating £200 to Portsmouth Food Bank.  I chose this charity because I think they do very good work.  Also, thank you for my book voucher.  I have already bought a book on Space and Anne Frances diary with it.  Thank you again.

Prebendal School student.

Portsmouth High School – Awards Evening 2023

Dear Mrs Ockenden

Thank you very much for your extremely generous prize.

I would like to inform you that I have chosen The Sussex Snowdrop Trust to donate the £100 to as they were our sixth form charity.  I believe them to be a very worthy cause and will be appreciative of the donation.

I hope all is well with you,

Thank you very much

Year 13 student

Portsmouth High School – Awards Evening 2023

Dear Mrs Ockenden

I am honoured to have received the Ockenden Award for Endeavour as part of this year’s Awards Evening.

I always remember your assemblies about your amazing charity “The Four Streets Project” and will remain inspired by your charitable attitudes as I venture into the wider world.  I am taking a gap year this year and hope to also dedicate some time to volunteering schemes in order to not only give to others but to better myself.  I am them starting at the University of Bristol in September 2024.

Year 13 Student

July 2021

Dear Mrs Ockenden, 

Thank you for the award that I received. I was so happy to get it. I decided to give the money to WWF because I really like animals. 

Thank you again. 

Best wishes,

H – Pupil, Portsmouth High School for Girls

July 2020

As part of the 2020 Ockenden Award for Helping Others, awarded annually at Portsmouth High School for Girls Donna is delighted this year to provide a donation to The Brain Tumour Charity. 

Read Thank You letter

 

Oxmarket Gallery

Donna Ockenden is delighted to be able to support Chichester’s Oxmarket Gallery in 2021. The Oxmarket Gallery is a Charity (No. 263367) that is rare in offering flexible and affordable art space for artists to exhibit and sell their unique work in the heart of Chichester – Donna’s hometown. A hidden gem it offers free entry to visitors and fortnightly changing exhibitions. Without any outside funding it relies on renting the space and a small commission on sales, along with donations from members of the public.

Victoria and Albert Museum

As  one of the  Patrons of the Director’s Circle, Donna supports the Victoria and Albert Museum to make new acquisitions and conserve their wonderful collection

The Levels School

The Levels school is an independent specialist day school offering high quality education and exemplary pastoral care to students with dyslexia and co- occurring difficulties.

The Brain Tumour Charity

As part of the 2020 Ockenden Award for Helping Others, awarded annually at Portsmouth High School for Girls Donna is delighted this year to provide a donation to The Brain Tumour Charity.

MAMA Academy

MAMA Academy was set up in 2012 to help more babies arrive safely, as the UK has one of the highest stillbirth rates in the developed world. MAMA Academy is positive about pregnancy and committed to raising awareness of what can be done to help save babies’ lives. Donna is delighted to be a patron for MAMA Academy.

Petals

Petals specialise in supporting parents who experience mental health issues resulting from bereavement, trauma or loss related to pregnancy including miscarriage, stillbirth, termination for medical reasons (TMFR) and neonatal loss.
Since 2013, working closely with maternity services, Petals has provided a free specialist counselling service for 1000s of women, men and couples who experience the devastation of the loss of a pregnancy or the death or baby.

Portsmouth High School

Donna provides 3 annual awards to Portsmouth High School For Girls. The winner of the Ockenden award for Charitable Endeavour at the senior school of Portsmouth High School for Girls is a student who is judged by staff to have made the most effort to support charitable causes in that year. In the junior school Donna supports ‘The Ockenden Award for Helping Others’ to the pupil who has made the best effort to show kindness in helping others. In the 6th form Donna awards the Ockenden award for Endeavour to the pupil who has achieved success in the face of adversity or difficulty. For each award Donna makes a donation to the charity of each pupil’s choice, provides a book token to each pupil, along with an antique silver cup.

The Prebendal School Chichester

Donna is delighted to work in partnership with teachers at the school to present ‘The Ockenden Award for Charitable Endeavour’. The award is in its sixth year and rewards and supports the efforts of Year 8 pupils. The winner is a student who is judged to have made the most effort to support charitable causes in their time at the school. Donna provides a donation to the charity of the pupil’s choice and a small gift to the winner in recognition of their hard work along with the stunning 1930’s antique cup.

Grandand’s Front Room

Donna Ockenden and the Four Streets Project are now working with Grandad’s Front Room CIC (Community Interest Company) in Bognor Regis. Grandad’s Front Room was set up in 2016 and since then they have been working to help tackle numerous social issues in the Bognor Regis area. The not for profit charity operates with the sole intention of helping others who need help, for free.

https://grandadsfrontroom.weebly.com/

 

Patron of Historic Royal Palaces

Through the role of Patron I support fundraising and awareness raising of the profile the six Royal Palaces play in the culture, heritage and history of the United Kingdom. Acting as a Patron of HRP is important in encouraging others to visit and appreciate the Palaces and the contribution they continue to make to contemporary life in the UK in the absence of Government funding.

Brighton Pavilion

I am also a Patron of The Royal Pavilion in Brighton, a Grade I listed formal royal residence. I support fundraising and raising awareness of it’s profile to encourage investment and preservation for many years to come. It is so important to protect such a historically important building and to encourage people of all ages and from all over the world to enjoy the Pavilion.

The Four Streets Project

The Four Streets Project was founded in January 2017 by Donna Ockenden and her daughters Caiti and Phoebe. Having moved to Chichester in 2016 they felt compelled to help the homeless people sleeping in shop doorways in the main ‘four streets’ of Chichester City Centre. A group of volunteers work together to provide an every night service offering food and drinks, blankets, coats and sleeping bags including toiletries.

https://www.fourstreetschichester.org.uk/