A celebration of industry collaboration

The basis.point Annual Spring Lunch has become not so much a fundraising event but rather a celebration of industry collaboration.

The Round Room creates a uniquely special atmosphere, and we are incredibly grateful to the 500 industry colleagues who joined us once again this year.

Having struggled to quieten the madding crowd, Edel O’Malley welcomed everyone and thanked our event sponsors, The Panel and BNY Mellon, whose generosity added enormously to a festive occasion.

Our team of volunteers from PwC, Maples and KPMG

Clive Bellows, basis.point Chairperson, spoke of his increasing conviction that sharing a vision as a collective, is a powerful agent of change. He thanked our Patrons both individual and corporate alike, for their overwhelming support and generosity and shared that we have now raised and committed €5.3 million, helping over 40,000 young people from underserved communities to reach their potential through education.

The actual impact of our collective giving was showcased by a short video drawn from presentations of our education partners talking impact. And whilst the numbers themselves are impressive it isn’t until you hear first-hand from participants and alumni of our partner programmes that the true impact of collaborative giving hits home.

With the focus on impact, it was not surprising that one of the highlights of the day was the privilege of hearing from Aaron O’Doherty about the profound impact of participating in the Business in the Community Ireland Mentor Programme. Aaron shared his personal experience as both mentee and mentor, and how it transformed his life. He highlighted the importance of having a role model and someone to talk to about various aspects of life, beyond just academics and career choices.

Andrea Lazenby Simpson, Education Manager at BITCI, reiterated that this support is crucial for young people who may be facing significant challenges and trying to overcome disadvantage. Aaron’s story was a powerful reminder of the transformative impact of mentorship and the importance of investing in the next generation,

And finally, with his usual natural flare and comic ease, Auctioneer, Sean Buckley rallied the audience and raised over €23,000 from a lively contested auction.

Headline items included signed Ireland Grand Slam winning jerseys, donated by the IRFU, KPMG and Northern Trust, a Signature Table for 10 at Big Mike’s (again miraculously conjured into two!) and a luxury spa weekend at The Cliff Hotel, donated by BBH.

Thanks go to all those who supported the event, to those who donated experiences and unique items for auction and especially the volunteers from PwC, Maples and KPMG, who worked tirelessly to make the Spring Lunch such a great success.

Our work is about investing in belief, giving young people a sense of agency, and doing our best to ensure that no single child is left behind. For those of us privileged to share an afternoon together in the Mansion House, the words of Edel O’Malley seemed to ring true.

“Philanthropy is not an ask … it is an invitation to be part of something great”.

Our hope is that as the Irish funds community, we feel privileged to be able to help young people to reach their potential, that the camaraderie of collaboration enhances all our lives and that through the programmes that we support, we are on the right path to creating brighter futures for young people experiencing disadvantage. And that yes, we truly are part of something great.

If you would like to join us at one our events, later this month we are taking the show on the road and hosting our first ever Regional Dinner at Fota Island Resort Hotel in Cork. There are still a number of tables available. Read more about our upcoming events here.

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