Philanthropist’s fund relaunched and renamed to continue work

Previously know as the Hesco Bastion Fund, to which he had donated £23m since 2007, the new fund will be known as Jimbo’s Fund. This was his family nickname and the name change follows discussions between the Leeds Community Foundation, which manages the fund and family members, including Mr Heselden’s widow Julie Heselden.

The first grants made from the new Jimbo’s Fund total over £1m to 38 local charities and community groups. They range from £2,200 to Arthritis Care Halton to 11 grants of £5,000 each to neighbourhood schemes helping the elderly in deprived areas of Leeds in Gipton, Halton Moor and Seacroft.

Larger grants of £50,000 have been continued to local hospices and children’s charities which Mr Heselden previously supported, including Leeds Mencap for its specialist nursery and the Leeds Children’s Holiday Camp Association from which Mr Heselden benefited when he was a child in Halton Moor; £200,000 has gone to Leeds Children’s Hospital for specialist keyhole surgery equipment for babies and £250,000 for Breast Cancer Haven in Leeds.

Mrs Heselden, said: “Supporting local charities played a big part in Jimi’s life and he loved seeing the real impact that the grants have on the lives of local people. A group of family members are now working with the Foundation to review all the applications that are received so that we can ensure that Jimi’s “spirit of giving” goes on having an impact, especially in Leeds.”

Throughout his lifetime Mr Heselden generously supported a large number of charities.

Mr Heselden, 62, chairman of Hesco Bastion, based in east Leeds, died last year in an accident near his home at Wetherby, Leeds.

Earlier this year Mr Heselden was honoured when his name was added to the Freemen of the City. His family were presented with a scroll at a special Leeds Council meeting to mark his inclusion on the Leeds Civic Hall list of those granted the honour. He was the first posthumous recipient.

Family members now meet quarterly with Leeds Community Foundation to review applications for grants.

The next deadline for applications is Friday, May 13, for grants between £250 and £20,000. Groups need to be based in, or benefiting people living in parts of Leeds with a postcode of LS9, LS10, LS14 or LS15. Applications can be made online via the Leeds Community Foundation web site: www.leedscommunityfoundation.org.uk

The Foundation is also looking for two to three major projects that can make a significant difference to communities in east and south Leeds but which need more than £20,000.

To be considered for one of these grants, applicants need to send a one page brief to the Foundation with outline details of the project and a broad budget. A member of the grants team will then be in touch to discuss the application.

Sally-Anne Greenfield, chief executive of Leeds Community Foundation, said last night: “We are delighted to be able to continue Jimi’s wonderful work by working with his family to support more good and worthwhile causes in Leeds.

“Jimi’s philosophy was that people who achieve success in life and business should ‘give something back’ to the community from which they come or where they do business.

“Jimbo’s Fund will not only honour his memory but also his spirit of giving which will live on for a long time and is a great example for the city.”

Leeds Community Foundation, established in Leeds in 2005, has raised millions of pounds and distributed over £12m to groups in the local community. During 2009-10 it made grants of £4m to over 440 groups across the city.

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