Duke of Gloucester visits Milton Park

His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester celebrates pioneering business-charity partnership

HRH The Duke of Gloucester visited Bee House at Milton Park on Thursday 24 July to celebrate the Didcot Powerhouse Fund, a remarkable community success story, which has distributed £400,000 across 70 grants to nearly 9,000 residents in just three years.

His Royal Highness was accompanied by Oxfordshire’s Lord Lieutenant Mrs Marjory Glasgow BEM, and the visit was arranged by the Lieutenancy Office.

The unique place-based fund, of which Milton Park is a founding member and quantum donor, has delivered 70 grants across Greater Didcot’s 46,000 residents, representing a fundamental shift from traditional corporate social responsibility. It brings together local businesses and charities to tackle everything from domestic abuse support to youth skills training with unprecedented efficiency and impact.

Milton Park would like to give special thanks to all its occupiers and other donors who have supported the Fund in recent years, which includes:

• Evotec – a life science company with a unique business model focused on delivering highly effective new therapeutics to the patients
• Hachette UK Distribution – the UK’s second largest book publishing group 
• Ipsen – a leading biopharmaceutical group dedicated to improving lives through innovative medicine
• New England BioLabs – a leader in the discovery and development of molecular biology reagents
• Total Projects – an established construction contractor specialising in the refurbishment and fit out of commercial and industrial propertie

Elizabeth Paris, Chair of the Didcot Powerhouse Fund and Deputy Lieutenant for Oxfordshire with special responsibility for Didcot, said: “The Didcot Powerhouse Fund was created because we believe local people understand local needs best. From the very beginning, we’ve been focused on building a stronger, fairer and more connected community by linking the innovation and generosity of our local businesses with the expertise and passion of our local charities.

“It’s an honour to welcome His Royal Highness The Duke of Gloucester to meet the people behind this collaboration – from donors and volunteers to frontline charity workers. It’s a story of placemaking in action, where purpose-led businesses and community groups are coming together to shape a more hopeful future for Didcot.”

His Royal Highness met with Powerhouse donors, businesses with a national and international reach who are investing in local social impact.

Philip Campbell, Commercial Director of MEPC Milton Park, a founding member of the Powerhouse Advisory Group, said: “I believe it’s important for all businesses that the environment they operate in thrives, and collectively, we have a responsibility to contribute to the place we’re a part of. For those with global reach, the Didcot Powerhouse Fund is a brilliant way to stay grounded and invest in meaningful change, helping to support a range of worthy causes for the local area.

“It has been a real privilege to host this royal visit and to champion the Powerhouse’s mission to create opportunities, tackle inequalities and build a stronger community. I’d like to also pay a special thanks to all our occupiers who have so kindly supported the Powerhouse over the past few years.”

The Duke of Gloucester then went on to speak to 12 local organisations and charities whose vital work has been made possible thanks to Powerhouse grants.

His Royal Highness moved from group to group, speaking to each representative of the organisations, exploring who they support and how. Hearing first-hand the impact the funding has had on those they support. Some organisations have been grant recipients from when the fund was created in 2022, whilst others are new to the Powerhouse this year.

Support in Crisis Group included:

• The Cornermen – supporting male mental health and suicide prevention
• Survivor Space – therapeutic support for survivors of sexual violence
• Reducing the Risk of Domestic Abuse – training volunteers to identify and support victims of domestic abuse

Steve James, CEO of The Cornermen, commented: “Without that first Powerhouse grant, I doubt The Cornermen could have survived our first year. And their trust in us was a huge confidence boost. Now we have strengthened our governance, increased our partnership working and are on our way to becoming a CIO.”

Support for Early Years Group included:

• Didcot Baby Monday – offering early years play and specialist parenting support
• OxPIP (Oxford Parent Infant Project) – therapeutic services for parents and infants
• Home-Start Southern Oxfordshire – running stay-and-play sessions and early years support in new communities

Expressing what the Didcot Powerhouse Fund has meant to Didcot Baby Monday, its CEO, Kathryn Goldsby-West shared: “Three years ago we were a struggling community group and uncertain of our future. Now we are a registered charity and celebrating our tenth birthday this year. It’s not just the vital funding, but the ongoing advice and support from the Powerhouse and Didcot Charity Support Hub that have encouraged and enabled us to grow.”

Raising Potential Group included:

• Digit<all> – coding workshops focused on climate awareness and digital skills for children
• International Welcome Café – English lessons and community café for new arrivals to the UK
• South Oxfordshire Muslim Association Impact Initiative – life skills and youth confidence programmes led by young volunteers

Supporting Young People Group included:

• ARCh (Assisted Reading for Children in Oxfordshire) – one-to-one reading support in primary schools
• Didcot TRAIN – youth mentoring and support services
• Quest for Learning – literacy and numeracy programmes tackling education disadvantage

The visit highlights how the Didcot Powerhouse Fund has become a powerful example of local placemaking, where businesses and charities work hand-in-hand to strengthen the social fabric of Didcot and the surrounding area.

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