The founders of a Lewisham charity praised the work of Axis Foundation after receiving a £5,000 donation to help deliver its community programmes.
For Jimmy was formed by Barry Mizen MBE and Margaret Mizen MBE after the murder of their 16-year-old son Jimmy in May 2008, and works with schools, businesses and communities to create safe spaces for children to grow up in.
Mr and Mrs Mizen hailed the support of the Foundation, which hit the £1million donations mark with its contribution to For Jimmy last month.
Mr Mizen said: “The Axis Foundation’s original donation helped us with our Safe Havens Programme in schools where a lot of important work is done.
“These partnerships are essential to our work.
“Our Safe Havens Programme continues to grow throughout Lewisham and we are working hard to develop Safe Haven projects in other areas.”
Since their son’s death, Mr and Mrs Mizen have constantly spoken of compassion rather than revenge.
They have worked tirelessly to share Jimmy’s story and deliver programmes in schools across London, inspiring individual responsibility, connecting communities and building safe places to turn to.
The Safe Havens Programme provides stickers for local businesses to put in their windows, so if a child is in trouble or feeling nervous they can go in there and know they’re safe.
Mrs Mizen said: “I promised my son the day he died I would never stop working on his behalf, and I would never forget him. Of course, we never have.
“We are so pleased that their one millionth pound was donated to For Jimmy.”
Axis Foundation focuses on local, impactful and shall charities in London and other parts of the UK.
In its eight-year history, it has donated £1million to over 110 charities, causes and individuals who make an impact in their communities.
The funding has helped hospices and specialist nurses to care for those with life limiting illnesses, contributed to scientific breakthroughs that extend life, provided mobility to those without, reduced social exclusion and given away specially adapted minibuses.
They are the charitable arm of Axis Europe PLC, the family-owned contractor active in social housing, education, commercial and retail sectors.
Sarah Hodgson, content marketing officer of Axis Foundation, said: “We don’t like to just write the cheque and say off you go, there is a sense of feeling close to the people who are receiving the donations.
“Some of them we’ve donated to over a period of time, and so we’ve been able to see how projects develop and some of them are corporate chosen charities.
“Mostly, they tend to be for organisations that have a very strong mission, and they’re helping some hard to reach groups.”
