We have raised over £100,000 for this Mumbai headquartered Indian non-profit organisation which has as its mission the aim to empower children and youth from marginalized backgrounds with positive experiences to enable them to discover and develop through sport.  The vision of the organization is to bring about a paradigm shift in how communities behave, and to create bridges across social divides.  Since February 1999, when it was founded Magic Bus has worked with over 150,000 children and youth and the organization is looking to increase that number to over a million children and youth by the year 2013-14.  As well as providing funding to Magic Bus, Bim Sandhu was appointed an Ambassador to the Charity in 2011. Further information on the charity can be obtained on www.magicbusindia.com.

In 2011 we donated £20,000 to the Anne Frank Trust UK to celebrate the 20^th anniversary of the Anne Frank Trust in the UK and in 2012 and 2013 we made further donations of £45,500.  In addition, in 2013 we committed to providing £60,000 of funding over three years.  The Trust draws on the power of Anne Frank’s life and diary to challenge prejudice and reduce hatred, encouraging people to embrace positive attitudes, responsibility and respect for others.  Further information on the charity can be obtained at www.annefrank.org.uk.

In particular we have been big supporters of the ‘Easyriders –  Wheelchairs  for Kids’ programme which provide a massive range of wheelchairs to children who desperately need them.  In 2010 and 2011 we purchased 20 Wheelchairs at the Variety Club Property Awards (‘Props’) at a total cost of £65,000 and we have been one of the biggest supporters of this programme for several years.  In 2012 and 2013 we contributed a further £67,500.  Our long standing contribution to the Variety Club was recognized in  May 2008 Props when Bim Sandhu received a Special Award from the Variety Club for his contribution to the Easy Riders programme.  Further information on the charity can be obtained on www.varietyclub.org.uk.

The vision of Everychild is a world where every child enjoys the rights to a childhood in a safe and caring family, free from poverty, violence and exploitation.  In 2010 we contributed £12,000 to their work on helping children living on the railway platforms of Bangalore.  The Sandhu family’s connection to the charity is long standing as we have sponsored a series of children in Malawi since the late 1980’s.  Further information on the charity can be obtained on www.everychild.org.uk.

In 2010 we provided a donation of £10,000 to Young Enterprise, East of England which is part of the National Young Enterprise network and the international Junior Achievement movement, which enabled it to obtain a further £10,000 from the Match Fund programme for Learning by volunteering project.  The aim of the Charity is to help inspire and equip young people to learn and succeed through enterprise.  The organisation acts a bridge between business and education to promote a more enterprising culture in the region. Further information on the charity can be obtained at www.young-enterprise.org.uk.

In 2010 we donated £10,000, being the first contribution made to this new UK charity which raises money for its Indian parent charity.  Dasra is a non-profit organisation that brings two vital catalysing elements to the NGO sector in India: management expertise, in the form of capacity building support; and funding, specifically focused on supporting the costs that will enable organisations to grow.  Further information on the charity can be obtained at www.dasra.org.