British chamber donates funds for good causes

British Chamber of Commerce in Korea (BCCK) CEO Sean Blakeley, fifth from right, and the chamber’s delegates pose for a picture during their visit to the Myongdo Welfare Center in Mokpo, South Jeolla Province, June 20. / Courtesy of BCCK

By John Redmond

As part of its efforts to give back to the local community, the British Chamber of Commerce in Korea (BCCK) has distributed about 70 million won ($60,800) to four good causes.

The BCCK selects and funds nonprofit organizations on an annual basis to help support the development of services the organizations provide to the local community.

These include the Myongdo Welfare Center, the Jeon Jin Sang Center, Angels’ Haven and the Chevening Scholarship.

Established in 1992, the Myongdo Welfare Center supports the needs of over 700 children and adults with various learning disabilities. The center aims to provide services for children and adults that reflect individual needs and choices, while empowering them to become active and valued members of their communities.

A BCCK delegation visited the center in Mokpo, South Jeolla Province, to tour the organization’s facilities and meet local staff, June 20.

The delegation included CEO Sean Blakeley; BCCK Events Senior Manager Ko Min-jung; BCCK Executive Committee members Martin Fryer, who heads the British Council in Korea; Graeme Salt, the headmaster at Dulwich College Seoul; and Daniel Barron, the head teacher at the British International Kindergarten (BIK) Hannam.

Blakeley said, “We are particularly proud of our support for the Myongdo Welfare Center, which provides unique services to a section of Korean society that has long been ignored. We look forward to continuing our support for the organization in the future.”

The Myongdo Welfare Center’s Manager Sister Gerardine Ryan said: “The support of the BCCK has helped to build our new workshop which will allow us to expand our services, hire more people in need of work and further contribute to the local community. We are indebted to the members of the BCCK for their kind contributions.”

The BCCK’s other causes include Angels’ Haven, which is an organization focused on providing nurseries, youth centers, senior welfare centers and group homes for under-served children, families and communities, and the Chevening Scholarship.

The scholarship awards one Korean student with a grant to study in the U.K. once per year. The BCCK’s two annual flagship events, the Queen’s Birthday Ball (QBB) and Christmas Lunch, both help raise funds for these good causes.

The BCCK accepts applications on an annual basis from organizations seeking funding for their activities. Any organization that is registered as a charity is eligible for funding. The BCCK places a call for applications on its website in September each year.

For more information, visit www.bcck.or.kr.