2003 - 2024

Officially formed as a Registered Charity in April 2003, The Exuberant Trust is

proud to celebrate its 21st year of supporting young people in Oxfordshire with funding towards their development in the creative arts.

The idea of setting up The Exuberant Trust came about at a family celebration of the life of Jennifer Graham-Jones (1925 - 2002), who had spent much of her life devoted to encouraging young people at particular decision points in their lives.

After their move to Oxfordshire, Jennifer and Michael Graham-Jones organised a series of charity concerts at which young players performed in an informal setting at their home in Standlake.

 

With thanks to the Graham-Jones family, Standlake still hosts the main fundraising activities of the Exuberant Trust, with the Music at The Limes annual concert series being held in the purpose-built garden Pavilion (funded by a generous donation from PA Holdings in 2008). Other concerts venues in Oxford have included the Holywell Music Room, the Jaqueline Du Pré Music Building and more recently the Summertown URC.

Over the last two decades, the Exuberant Trust has awarded:

170 individual grants, totalling £75,000 to help young people in

Oxfordshire with their development in the creative arts.

Grants have been given to help fund a wide range of items and purposes:

e.g. the purchase of musical instruments, art and craft materials/tools,

IT equipment, singing lessons, exhibition fees,

travel costs & dance classes.

This funding has in turn helped to support:

artists, singers, musicians, architects, publishers,

actors, composers, jewellers & dancers (to name but a few)!

The Exuberant Trust has only been able to operate for this long period of time, due to the kind generosity and support of three groups of people over the years:

• the hundreds of generous supporters, who have donated to our grant fund while attended fundraising concerts, online or in other ways;




• the many musicians and artists who have performed for free at our fundraising events, donating both their time and talents, while entertaining our audiences;




• and last but not least, the Trustees, administrators and other helpers who work on a voluntry basis and have enabled the Exuberant Trust to remain operational over the years. Their hard work and commitment to the aims of the charity have kept alive the legacy of Jennifer Graham-Jones and her devoted encouragement of young people.

We would like to extend our huge and grateful thanks to each and every person, who has helped the Exuberant Trust to support young people over the last 21 years and hope that this will continue for many more years to come.

This crucial support for the creative arts is now more important than ever, due to the difficulties faced during the Pandemic, the huge cuts to arts education & funding and the current economic climate.

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To help celebrate our 21st Anniversary year, the Exuberant Trust is proud to present our latest fundraising event, which will feature performances by some of the highly-talented young people that the Exuberant Trust has supported in the past.

Showcase 2024 2-4pm Saturday, 15th June Featuring performances by Exuberant Trust grant-award winners ... and some stories about how an award can help a dream come true. In collaboration with: Turrill Sculpture Garden - Summer Music Festival. Turill Sculpture Garden 294 Banbury Road, Summertown, Oxford OX2 7JN (behind the Summertown Library). Entrance is free. Donations to the Exuberant Trust. Please book tickets in advance at Eventbrite. More information about the Summer Music Festival can be found on the Turill Sculpture Garden website.

Read about our 10th year Anniversay celebrations in 2003.