I founded & run The Contact Collective: Young Philanthropy Network
Like many things in life, it all started with a little inspiration.
My inspiration is my grandmother, Mary Hoare, who founded the Lady Hoare Trust charity to support babies born in the 1970’s affected by the drug thalidomide.
Mary was the wife of the Lord Mayor of London (my grandfather, Sr Fredrick Hoare) & dedicated her life to supporting the physical & emotional needs of babies born with limb abnormalities as a result of the drug Thalidomide. Their mothers had been prescribed this to help with morning sickness. Mary brought the plight of the families into the consciousness of the wider public & from this tragedy she helped to build a greater understanding of the needs of having a physical disability & secured for them the prospects of a better future. She touched despair & turned it into hope.
10 years ago The Lady Hoare Trust merged with the charity Contact a Family, a charity which offers support, advice & help for families with disabled children.
It is an amazing charity & I felt compelled & inspired to launch my own network to support the families.
The Contact Collective hosts fun, sociable – often creative – events for likeminded people.
I chair a Committee of dedicated young professionals & together we run all sorts of fun events.
In 2015 these included:
Photography exhibition: Pictures from Home: Everyday life with a disabled child at La Galleria on Pall Mall
4 Life drawing + dinner parties hosted by Bella’s Bits & Bobs & Committee members
A gig at Notting Hill Arts Club hosted by Busk Management
An afternoon tea party at Hoare’s Bank
Numerous dinner parties ‘Come Dine with Me’ style
Yoga classes
‘Cocktails, Canapés & Comedy for Charity’ at Two Temple Place. I’ve shared a few photos from this event below.
If you would like to join the network or find out more, please email me. I would LOVE to have you!
This is me 
