Mrs Sally Scott, High Sheriff of Oxfordshire 2023-24, is working with Oxfordshire Community Foundation (OCF) during her Shrieval Year to raise awareness of the surprising and concerning issues affecting our county. 

When you think of Oxfordshire, it conjures up visions of world-class education, a dynamic and innovative economy, an Instagram-worthy city, and picture-perfect villages that are rural boltholes for the rich and famous. All of this makes it a wonderful place to live – but whatever words you use to describe the county, they probably don’t include poverty, inequality and lack of opportunity.

Yet, beneath the visible affluence of the county, there are parts of Oxfordshire where our fellow citizens do not enjoy the same advantages and privileges. For example:

• Around 1,800 households are made homeless in Oxfordshire each year
• 48,000 people in Oxfordshire say they often or always feel lonely
• People living in the most deprived areas of the county tend to die 12 years earlier than those in affluent areas
• In Oxford one in six children live in poverty

These upsetting figures show the reality of daily life for many, despite living in a county that is among the three most prosperous regions of the UK by individual wealth. Poverty and deprivation affect childhood wellbeing, educational attainment, risk of disease, obesity levels, mental health, likelihood of drug abuse and imprisonment, exposure to violence and overall social mobility.

Oxfordshire Community Foundation supports our county’s heroic charity staff and volunteers, who work incredibly hard every day to address the challenges of unaffordable essentials, poor health, loneliness and fear, and lack of opportunity.

By donating to Oxfordshire Community Foundation, you will make a huge difference to these charitable organisations. Stable, multi-year funding through our grant-making will help them implement preventative solutions as well as crisis support. Anyone can join our philanthropic community, whether you have £100 or £1 million to give, and everything in between.

Thank you so much for your support.

Please note that the most that can be donated on Enthuse is £5,000. If you would like to make a larger donation, please contact [email protected].