The Spectris Foundation

We are very excited to welcome our new Trustee, Laura Hughes-Onslow! Laura joined UCL as Associate Director of Donor Experience in February 2025, bringing with her over a decade of third sector experience spanning fundraising and grant-making roles. She has held senior positions at the Mayor’s Fund for London and The Sutton Trust, and has previously served as a Trustee with The Peter Minet Trust. Her commitment to social change is exemplified by her co-founding of the #FixtheForm campaign, which advocates for improvements in the grant application process, saving an estimated million hours of global charitable time annually. We are thrilled to have you on board and have no doubt that you will bring a positive impact to the foundation and the communities we serve! You can learn more about Laura's appointment here: https://lnkd.in/eH6PNQc8

Today we have launched our 2024 Impact Report. Since inception, we have committed to donating ï¿¡1,855,299 to STEM education, working closely with our valued charity partners who share our vision of empowering the next generation of innovators, particularly underrepresented groups. We believe that by supporting STEM education, we are investing in a brighter future for all. Together, we are making a difference, and we are excited to continue this journey with our inspiring charity partners and volunteers. You can read the full report below or on our website here: https://lnkd.in/e2nra2Bf #STEMeducation #ImpactReport #SpectrisFoundation #Innovation #EducationForAll

Today we celebrate International Day of Mathematics. We’re proud to support STEM education alongside our charity partners every day, and maths is a crucial part of that – it enables critical thinking, problem solving and opens the door to brighter a future! This year’s theme is “Celebrate the creativity found in mathematical discovery and art”, and we truly believe that maths can be the gateway to new ideas and beautiful creations, while also being a core element of STEM learning and future careers. Happy International Day of Mathematics! To find out more about our mission and vision, click here: https://lnkd.in/eak32HgJ #Mathematics #STEMeducation #Learning

We were thrilled to collaborate with our charity partner,?Apps for Good, on their brand-new?Career Series. This fantastic initiative brings students and school leaders together with industry professionals for insightful 30-minute conversations, perfectly timed for?National Careers Week! It was an honour to participate in the?School Leader session, focusing on the vital topic of?staff wellbeing. Our dedicated HR professional volunteers,?Helen Inch and Teresa Gaiderman BA Hons Assoc CIPD from Malvern Panalytical and Julie Burridge from Servomex, shared valuable strategies and tips to enhance wellbeing within school environments. To find out more about the session and hear about Helen, Teresa and Julie's experience, you can read the full article here: https://lnkd.in/ettrvEgN

We were honoured to be invited to participate in a First LEGO League finals event in Cardiff, hosted by our charity partner, Engineering Education Scheme Wales Ltd / STEMCymru (EESW). First Lego League is one of the programs that EESW run to inspire children to engage with STEM through a variety of hands-on learning experiences. This year’s challenge ‘Submerged’ involved the robots having to undergo tasks related to different layers of the ocean so the students could create solutions to promote healthy ocean ecosystems. Foundation Director, Sarah Smith, who was asked to be one of the judges, said: “It was brilliant to see how keen the students were to present their designs and how deeply they had thought about how to make their models work. Some teams experienced huge challenges along the way and had to rethink their plans. However, their perseverance, teamwork and ‘out of the box’ thinking, along with support from their teachers and mentors, enabled them to design effective innovative solutions.”

Exciting news for Spectris Group employees! We are thrilled to announce that employee nominations for charitable causes are now open again. You have until?20th February 2025?to submit your nomination for our upcoming review round in April. This is your chance to make a difference in your community. Spectris Group employees can nominate a local charity or non-profit organisation for a small grant of up to?￡5,000. If there’s a cause that holds a special place in your heart — whether you’re a dedicated volunteer or an enthusiastic supporter — we want to hear from you! Last year, we were proud to award grants to amazing organisations like BONTERRE CIC, nominated by Alessa Jaendling, and the Wolo Foundation, nominated by Andrew Mitchell. Bonterre provides vital land-based alternative education programmes and community workshops. Jo Sullivan said, "We are thrilled to have been selected as recipients of this grant from the Spectris Foundation. The new outdoor kitchen area will make a huge difference for the increasing numbers of children needing our support. We’ll be able to get them more involved in cooking activities, helping them feel inspired to get creative in the kitchen, while developing their practical skills.” The Wolo Foundation supports families affected by cancer in Sussex. Hannah Jarvis said, “The funding from the Spectris Foundation will bring hope and relief to families facing the challenges of cancer and means we can adapt our services as their needs change. It will help ensure that every family feels supported, cared for and never alone on their journey. Thank you so much.” Spectris Group employees can email spectrisfoundation@spectris.com for more information. #EmployeeNominations #CommunityImpact #MakeADifference

?? We are thrilled to announce the appointment of?Angela Noon OBE?as a new Trustee of the Spectris Foundation! Angela joined Spectris plc as Chief Financial Officer in September 2024 and has more than 25 years of finance and commercial leadership experience. Her achievements in championing education are notable; in November 2024, she was honoured with an honorary doctorate from the University of the West of Scotland, acknowledging her commitment to advancing education and skills development. Additionally, Angela was Chair of the Skills and Productivity Board for the UK which reported to the Secretary of State for Education, and was later honoured with an OBE for her contributions. Angela’s passion for promoting social mobility and educational access has been a driving force throughout her career. Her wealth of experience will be invaluable in her role as Trustee, as we seek to enable underrepresented groups to gain access to quality STEM education. You can read more about Angela's appointment here: https://lnkd.in/eZUfQPfq

? As we enter this festive period and take a moment to reflect on the year that has passed, we would like to extend our warmest wishes and gratitude to everyone for their ongoing support this year. We are immensely proud of the remarkable work our charity partners have achieved throughout 2024. Their dedication to inspiring young minds and promoting education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics has made a significant impact across the world. From initiatives that provide hands-on learning experiences for underrepresented groups in STEM to programmes that train and equip teachers, their work is paving the way for a more inclusive future. We look forward to sharing stories of their impact in the new year, but for now we wish you all a happy holiday season and New Year! ?? ??

We are delighted to provide an update on one of our Employee Nominated Grants awarded in 2023 to Medical Detection Dogs, nominated by Yasmine T?rnblad. The charity is at the forefront of research into a number of life-threatening diseases using odour recognition, while also providing medical alert assistance and companionship. During the grant period, 20 new Medical Alert Assistance Dogs have been placed, changing the lives of 20 individuals. One of the dogs to be placed with someone in need over the past year was Dixie - Dixie was placed with Freya, who was diagnosed with Non-Epileptic Attack Disorder at just 16 years old. Before Dixie, Freya’s condition quickly spiralled out of control. Her high risk of self-injury meant Freya had to leave university and return home, she gave up all her hobbies and became severely isolated. This all changed when Dixie, the Cocker Spaniel, was placed with Freya. We are thrilled to have been able to support Medical Detection Dogs and it is fantastic to see the difference the grant has made to individuals such as Freya. You can read more about Freya's story here: https://lnkd.in/ehAnu8-T

Recently, Foundation Director, Sarah Smith, had the privilege of attending Technovation’s World Summit – the finale of their acclaimed Girls Program. This 12-week project-based curriculum teaches essential skills such as coding, AI and entrepreneurship. This year more than 31,000 girls were reached through a supportive network of volunteer mentors and parents. They collaborated in teams to code mobile applications that tackle real community issues aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. We are incredibly proud to support charitable initiatives that provide underrepresented groups with opportunities to develop key STEM skills and explore potential STEM career paths. Read the article to find out more!