CASE STUDIES · Global giving and complex cross-border donations

Lynedoch Village

A love of cinema collides with bringing communities together

An innovative global giving partnership and community cinema led to the twinning of a London borough with a South African village.

Fund type

Collective Fund

Amount raised/granted

£243,206

Years

2017 onwards

Background

When Sally Wilton sold her business in 2006 she was looking for another challenge. The result combined her dream of running a community cinema, with creating an impressive global partnership that links two communities.

After an invitation to visit the Sustainability Institute in South Africa and its project in the Lynedoch wine making region, Sally decided to use profits from the cinema to support the charity’s work.

Problem

Many of the families in Lynedoch live in poverty with high level of need, particularly for young people who fend for themselves while parents go to work on the wine farms. Over the last 20 years, The Sustainability Institute has built a community that includes a school, gardens, nurseries and projects for young people.

The vision was to foster long-term, sustainable change in individuals' lives by providing young people with the support and skills necessary to improve their futures through education and employment opportunities. This, in turn, would transform their life chances entirely.

As The Sustainability Institute charity is based in South Africa there are rigorous due diligence checks that need to be undertaken before funds can be released. Prism takes care of all this, and it also means that any eligible UK tax-payer donations can benefit from Gift Aid and/or other tax advantages.

“We wanted very much to see whether it was possible to forge a link between a community in London and a community in South Africa. We also wanted this to be a leg up, not just a hand out.”

–– Sally Wilton. Co-founder of Lynedoch Village Collective Fund and founder of Lexi Cinema

Impact

This partnership’s impact has been two-fold: supporting young people in South Africa and building community connections across north London and beyond.

In South Africa’s Lynedoch region, vital funds contribute to The Sustainability Insitute's core costs and a wide range of initiatives.

One project - The Youth Upliftment and Development Program – annually provides 40-45 new students with long-term support that continues over a five-year period.

In the UK, the Lexi cinema has served its local community whilst fostering a relationship with Lynedoch and its people. Over the years, international youth and volunteer exchanges have supported mutual learning and growth.