Point North welcomes Northern Powergrid to Northern Lights match fund
Point North is delighted to welcome Northern Powergrid to the ‘Northern Lights’ match fund, supporting the Lumiere Durham 2025 and helping to brighten lives throughout County Durham all year round.
What is the Northern Lights match fund?
To mark our 30th anniversary, we launched the Northern Lights match fund to strengthen our support for Lumiere Durham by offering businesses a unique opportunity to maximise their social impact and invest in the region’s cultural scene.
For every pound donated by businesses, Point North contributes an additional 50p (increased to £1) on selected partnerships.
Northern Powergrid, the electricity distribution network operator which powers the lives of 8 million customers across the North East, Yorkshire and northern Lincolnshire, is sponsoring ‘Point of (No) Return’, a ‘Sustainability’ themed installation at this year’s Lumiere Durham.
By sponsoring Point of (No) Return, Northern Powergrid has unlocked additional £1,250 which will be channelled and invested back into County Durham.
How does the Northern Lights match fund make a difference?
Working with Artichoke, the match fund unlocks additional funding for the year round Lumiere Learning & Participation programme.
The Learning and Participation activities are integrated into the artistic programme of Lumiere Durham and offers a chance for local people to take part in the arts and to develop their creative skills.
In 2023, more than 1,800 local people across 18 community groups, 15 schools, six libraries and three prisons took part in Learning & Participation projects, working with artists to create Lumiere artworks.
Over 300 local volunteers and eight young trainees helped bring Lumiere Durham 2023 to life, developing valuable skills and improving wellbeing.
One of the young people who took part in the Learning & Participation programme shared: “It made me really happy knowing that I had contributed to the Lumiere because I’ve gone to it multiple times over the years with my family; it was really special knowing I had a hand in it.”
George Coiley, Sustainability Manager at Northern Powergrid said: “Lumiere Durham is an iconic light art event and we’re excited to sponsor the ‘Sustainability’ installation – which has now attracted additional match funding from Point North.
“The clean energy transition will bring down energy bills and improve the UK’s energy security, and it’s also needed for us to do our part to tackle dangerous global warming. We’re proud to sponsor this installation that helps engage people with how human activities are affecting the natural world.”
Michelle Cooper, CEO at Point North said: “As we embark on celebrating our 30th anniversary, we are immensely proud to continue our longstanding partnership with Lumiere, a festival that brings magic, light and togetherness to our communities.
“Everyone should have the opportunity to experience and take part in arts and culture, and Lumiere embodies this by making world-class art accessible to all. It’s thanks to support from businesses like Northern Powergrid who have donated through the Northern Lights match fund we can continue to enrich lives across County Durham and the wider North East.”
Interested in maximising your charitable giving?
At Point North, we help individuals, families and businesses structure their charitable giving so it reflects their values and delivers the greatest possible impact.
Get in touch with us to learn more about the different ways we can maximise your charitable giving.
