8 October 2009: A gala fundraising event held by 100 Women in Hedge Funds, a global association of more than 10,000 professional women, last night raised nearly £250,000 for SHINE.
The event was held at the Locarno Suite in the Foreign and Commonwealth Office. It was attended by more than 250 hedge fund industry leaders, together with representatives of SHINE and some of the projects we fund. The keynote speech was given by Sarah Brown, a Patron of SHINE.
Addressing the guests, Sarah paid tribute to 100 Women in Hedge Funds’ philanthropy, which has seen the group raise more than $15 million over the past eight years. She declared herself delighted at its decision to make education the focus of this year’s charitable activities, saying:
“We both understand and embrace the importance of education in enabling individuals to fulfil their potential, whether in their career, at school or in their lives more broadly. To me it is self-evident that securing the best future for any society must lie in releasing the energies and talents of future generations… Thank you for supporting our charity. Hundreds of young people will benefit from your generosity tonight.”
UK Charity of the Year
Sarah went on to congratulate SHINE for being chosen as the association’s UK Charity of the Year (and praised 100 Women in Hedge Funds for their excellent choice). She then spoke of SHINE’s determination “to find and fund only programmes which would have a real, measurable and lasting impact on the educational attainment of those children facing the greatest challenges in life.”
Finishing off, Sarah urged guests to donate generously, describing the “enormous value” that SHINE adds to the programmes we fund – programmes which, she said, “give… children a window onto a better future; gives them a leg up, if you like; gives them a chance.”
Reacting to the total sum raised last night SHINE’s Chairman, Jim O’Neill, said: “This is a truly remarkable amount of money. In fact, setting aside SHINE’s own Benefit Dinners for a moment, it is the largest sum ever raised for SHINE at a single event. Everybody at SHINE is delighted and extremely grateful for the incredible generosity of 100 Women in Hedge Funds, its members and guests.”
About 100 Women in Hedge Funds
100 Women in Hedge Funds serves over 10,000 alternative investment management investors and practitioners through unique educational, professional development and philanthropic initiatives. Since its first educational event in 2002, 100 Women in Hedge Funds has hosted more than 150 sessions globally, connected more than 150 senior women through Peer Advisory Councils and raised in excess of $15 million for philanthropic causes in the areas of women’s health, education and mentoring.
For more information on 100 Women in Hedge Funds and its work, click here to go to their website.