The impact of the pandemic upon young people brings a renewed sense of urgency to supporting crucial projects around the UK, according to one philanthropist.
The Leus Family Foundation was established by the businessman and philanthropist Dmitry Leus. Born in Turkmenistan and now living with his family in the UK, Leus founded the charity to support children who are challenged by illness, poverty or special needs.
“The guiding principle of the Leus Family Foundation is that as a society we should be investing in every child. Every child deserves opportunity and to feel valued. If we invest in children, we are investing in our future. We know that some children – whether they are born into poverty, have special needs or suffer an illness – need an extra boost in order to fulfil their potential. That is our mission at the Foundation – to make a positive impact on their lives and to give them a sense of possibility. We see that our support is needed now more than ever due to the pandemic and the way that isolation and lack of resources has impacted vulnerable children in particular.” explains Leus.
The Leus Foundation supports multiple organisations, ranging from hospital charities such as St George’s and the Royal Free, as well as Runnymede Foodbank, plus youth clubs such as Bright Lights and Harrow.
“Their efforts with young people who are in danger of being recruited by gangs is vital. They have a real impact, helping the most marginalised young people to maximise their life chances and to enhance their personal development, getting them on the road to employment and building their resilience and well-being. It is a great pleasure to provide the bus as a practical support for this great work.”
Leus’s work with economically disadvantaged young people is not limited to the Harrow area. He is also behind an initiative to get children from state schools in the Brixton area engaged with the sport of fencing. Together with Christopher Tidmarsh QC, Leus is determined to make the sport accessible for all and the duo began this mission in South London. They started by giving demonstrations in local state schools so that local children could see fencing for themselves, often for the very first time. Then they invited 7-11 year olds to attend Junior sessions for free with Brixton Fencing Club so that they could learn together with their peers who already fence.
Leus explains: “Once they join us, if they demonstrate the commitment, we will keep supporting them in the secondary school years. We want them to be absorbed organically into the club and know that they will gain access to coaching and equipment without charge. There is another strong motivation for us. We see the power of fencing to divert a child away from getting into trouble on the street. When a child is training with our coaches and feeling good about the skills they are building, then they are not so vulnerable to gang membership or experimenting with drugs. Fencing is an ideal sport to captivate young minds and build their confidence in a positive way. Yes, you need some aggression to win. But you have to be in control when you are fencing and also respect your opponent. We are delighted to draw youngsters into the rigour and training of fencing, especially when we know they are perhaps disadvantaged and need such direction and passion in their lives.”
Helping those with additional needs
Children and young people with learning difficulties and special needs are also central to the work of the Leus Family Foundation. The Foundation supports Bright Lights, a Runnymede youth club for children with disabilities ranging from autism, Asperger’s, Downs, and moderate-to-severe learning difficulties, with some of them requiring one-to-one care. Children with varying learning and physical disabilities attend the Bright Lights club every Thursday evening for two hours during term time. Dmitry explains: “”We are so pleased to boost the club’s range of toys and equipment so that children attending get the maximum enjoyment out of their time at the club. It is especially meaningful for us to be able to provide two future outings for the children, knowing how much pleasure the children will get from these fun experiences at a privatised trampoline park and Drayton Manor theme park – and of course how much they need it after a more isolated time during the pandemic.”
Dmitry added: “Bright Lights is exactly the kind of organisation we like to work with. They are a small team and they have the energy and commitment needed to make a significant impact to young people who really need this service.”
Support for poorly children
Children suffering serious or long term illness are also a priority for the Leus Family Foundation. The Foundation has a been a long term supporter of St George’s Hospital Charity, with donations targeted at aiding children and their families through the difficulties of illness. The Foundation supported the renovation of a children’s garden at the hospital. Updates to the site include the extension and improvement of the play areas, including a new slide and better wheelchair access. “My long relationship with St George’s has given me a great admiration for the children who are patients here, their families and the amazing staff,” says Leus. “This garden will lift spirits and hopefully provide moments of joy and relaxation between treatments. We were also please to supply ‘Buzzy’ pain relief devices to distract children and reduce any pain when they are having blood tests or injections, which can happen very often during long term illness.”
Leus concludes: “For our Foundation, the common theme throughout all of our work is that each child deserves the best start we can give them. A child does not get to choose their circumstances and when they suffer illness or poverty or are born with a disability, we all have a responsibility to improve their situation, to boost their opportunities. The pandemic and its impact upon young people makes this work more urgent than ever.”
To find out more about the foundation, click here.
We know that young people with special needs and their families have felt the lockdown restrictions even more than most.
Whether through having periods of no in-person school, reduced or even no activities and the general feeling of isolation brought about by the pandemic, this experience has been more acute for those children and young adults with special needs and also for their families.
Our foundation’s focus this year is very much on helping children and families bounce back from what we know has been a tough and isolating year for many. It is a priority for us to bring fun, learning, connection and community support to those children and families that need it most.
We have recently had a great opportunity to provide such support in a very direct way. The excellent programme run by Runnymede Special Needs Youth Club, also known as Brightlights, has recently received a grant from the Leus Family Foundation to support their work with young people with special needs in the Runnymede area.
The club is for children aged 5–13 years with special needs in Runnymede and surrounding areas. The children have disabilities ranging from autism, Asperger’s, Downs and moderate to severe learning difficulties, with some of them requiring one-to-one care.
Established in 1996, children with varying learning and physical disabilities can come to the club every Thursday evening for two hours during term time.
The youth club is known for providing a vibrant programme that includes the use of the soft play area, crafts and external outings, trips to places like the Isle of Wight, Disneyland Paris, Spain, Lapland UK, Paultons Park, Beale Park, and Legoland.
The club also holds a Christmas party every year where the children receive a visit and presents from Father Christmas. Easter eggs are also received.
Some of these activities have not been possible during the pandemic, but Brightlights has strived to support families during this time.
The charity arranged two trips to Heron Lake which allowed the children to take part in water sports and activities which they greatly enjoyed. These trips also gave the members and families the opportunity to meet up and see each other, which was most needed during this difficult time.
Lucy O’Neill, the chair of Brightlights, welcomed the contribution from the Leus Family Foundation, saying: “We are here to provide fun and recreation for young people with special needs, which can also play a helpful respite role for their parents and carers.
We are a safe environment for children who might have difficulty accessing other facilities within the local borough.
Our base at Egham Orbit Leisure Centre enables the use of the soft play area, arts and crafts activities, books and toys from our toy library. We occasionally hold family and friends evenings when parents and carers can meet and discuss family matters.
The contribution from the Leus Family Foundation will help us to keep bringing this fun and support to children and their families and we’re very grateful.”
Identifying and supporting those in our community who perhaps have suffered the most during the pandemic and therefore need our support will continue to be a major focus for the Leus Family Foundation.
It will take years, if not decades, for the world to fully understand the impact of the pandemic on our young people. In many cases they have made sacrifices in terms of education and social development in order to keep the most vulnerable safe.
Our Foundation is strongly motivated to counteract any damage to them by supporting initiatives that enrich their lives and support their families.
Brightlights has been on the receiving end of a considerable grant from the foundation to help further its work for local youngsters.
Runnymede Special Needs Youth Club, also known as Brightlights, has recently received a grant from the Leus Family Foundation to support their work with young people with special needs in the Runnymede area.
The club is for children aged 5-13 years with special needs in Runnymede and surrounding areas. The children have disabilities ranging from autism, Asperger’s, Downs and moderate to severe learning difficulties, with some of them requiring one-to-one care.
Established in 1996, children with varying learning and physical disabilities can come to the club every Thursday evening for two hours during term time.
The youth club is known for providing a vibrant programme that includes the use of the soft play area, crafts and external outings, trips to places like the Isle of Wight, Disneyland Paris, Spain, Lapland UK, Paultons Park, Beale Park, and Legoland.
The club also holds a Christmas party every year where the children receive a visit and presents from Father Christmas. Easter eggs are also received.
Some of these activities have not been possible during the pandemic, but Brightlights has strived to support families during this time.
The charity arranged two trips to Heron Lake which allowed the children to take part in water sports and activities which they greatly enjoyed. These trips also gave the members and families the opportunity to meet up and see each other, which was most needed during this difficult time.
Lucy O’Neill, the chair of Brightlights, welcomed the contribution from the Leus Family Foundation, saying: “We are here to provide fun and recreation for young people with special needs, which can also play a helpful respite role for their parents and carers.
We are a safe environment for children who might have difficulty accessing other facilities within the local borough.
Our base at Egham Orbit Leisure Centre enables the use of the soft play area, arts and crafts activities, books and toys from our toy library. We occasionally hold family and friends evenings when parents and carers can meet and discuss family matters.
The contribution from the Leus Family Foundation will help us to keep bringing this fun and support to children and their families and we’re very grateful.”
Dmitry Leus, the founder of the Leus Family Foundation, adds: “We are delighted to support Brightlights. Our foundation’s focus this year is very much on helping children and families bounce back from what we know has been a tough and isolating year for many.
Young people with special needs and their families have felt the lockdown restrictions even more than most, so it is a priority for us to bring fun, learning, connection and community support to them via Brightlights’ excellent programme.”
To find out more about Leus Family Foundation and the other projects and initiatives it has supported, visit the website.
Dmitry Leus, of the Leus Family Foundation, is working hard to combat the aftermath of the lockdown.
As the UK’s impressive vaccination rate continues and the roadmap towards the country opening up again is visible, if not entirely fixed, the aftermath of this locked down year is already on the mind of Dmitry Leus.
The London-based entrepreneur and former European fencing champion heads the Leus Family Foundation, which was recently awarded official charitable status by the Charity Commission for England and Wales, and the welfare of young people and their families is at the heart of the foundation’s mission.
The Leus Family Foundation was founded long before COVID-19 hit and the focus has always been on young people. But the intense impact of the pandemic on the wellbeing of young people has added urgency to the Foundation’s work.
Experts have made very clear the impact of the pandemic on the young. Dame Rachel de Souza, the children’s commissioner for England, recently told The Times that although children may not have fallen ill in large numbers from Coronavirus, they have “paid a huge price for the measures we’ve had to take to contain it”.
In the same Times report, Professor Russell Viner, president of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health and a member of Sage, warned of the potentially catastrophic “collateral damage” to children.
“There’s a real question about how much of that is a wound that heals and how much of it will lead to long-term scarring,” he explained.
“We can talk about what we think the loss of education will do; we can say what we think the harms are around mental health. But it’s also the more subtle stuff. Have we shifted a whole generation towards anxiety and being more risk-averse? Have we shifted a whole generation away from physical contact, and all the things that come with human contact that bring benefits to us? Those are all the things we don’t know.”
The toll that the pandemic has taken on the younger generation is worrying to Dmitry Leus.
He said: “This has been a tough year for everyone. But I think our young people might be the ones suffering the longest lasting impact of this unusual year. They are still developing and their characters are still forming.
What we know for sure is that we have babies who were born into a lockdown situation, toddlers who have never seen anyone outside their home without a mask, teens who have had their wings clipped just as they should be socialising independently and university students listening to lectures on Zoom in their childhood bedrooms.
We do not yet know the full impact that this isolated year will have had on them. We will still be trying to understand that in years to come. What we do know is that this generation will need our support.”
The practical challenges that the young generation faces are a priority for him: “Imagine being 18-years-old right now. Or 21. Finishing school or university. It must feel a little bleak. How has this crazy year affected your university chances? Will you be able to get a job when you graduate, given the post-pandemic economic difficulties we are likely to endure for years to come?”
However, it seems his approach is one of solutions and finding answers: “Our Foundation’s response to this problem will be to continue to target where we see the most need. Our sporting programme, helping disadvantaged children in South London to experience fencing and all the confidence-building and discipline that sporting life can deliver is one example. This is the kind of area where we can give the young a real boost.
“We know that the pandemic conditions have been extra tough for families with children with chronic illness, so supporting causes like St George’s Hospital Charity will remain a priority.”
At the height of the pandemic, the Leus Family Foundation responded to urgent appeals from charities for the Royal Free Hospital, Princess Royal University Hospital and St George’s Hospital to support doctors and nurses on the frontline through care packages, mental health provision and the creation of respite spaces for staff. It also donated to Runnymede Food Bank.
Founder of the Leus Family Foundation, Dimitry Leus FRSA, is also honorary president of Brixton Fencing Club (Image: Leus Family Foundation)
Dmitry said: “Those collaborations will continue to be important for us, as sadly there will still be hungry families as we climb out of this pandemic situation and we want to help where we can, especially to improve the life opportunities for children.
“We know that we’re all in for some challenging times ahead. The most important thing we can do is to stay positive and always look for ways in which we can make a difference. For our Foundation, that means targeting young people and their families to ensure that we build for the future by creating better chances for the next generation”.
He concludes on a characteristically positive note: “We do know that resilience is one of the most important qualities that we can have in this modern world and I have no doubt that this young generation has been building their resilience throughout the pandemic.
“But they need a helping hand now and we owe it to them. Essentially, they sacrificed a lot to help protect the old and the vulnerable and now we need to repair any damage and help this young generation.”
During the recent COVID-19 pandemic, Dmitry Leus of the Leus Family Foundation, made supporting his local community, NHS and the vulnerable- young and old, a priority.
Dmitry couldn’t bear the thought that on his own doorstep families were going hungry due to the effect COVID and lockdown was having. His funding allowed Runnymede food bank to purchase over 20,000 items of food and essential items that were then distributed to over 1,200 residents throughout the borough.
The Mayor and Councillors came together to express their gratitude having found they had not received any comparable support.
“On behalf of the Runnymede Foodbank, I wanted to offer our gratitude to Dmitry Leus for his generous donation. The money donated has proven critical in our ability to provide food for the most vulnerable people within our community during the COVID crisis. Working with Dmitry has allowed the Foodbank to purchase food from the wholesale market ensuring a consistent supply of the products we need. His support has been invaluable in our efforts to help those most in need of assistance.”
Runnymede Councillor, Nigel King
It was evident that sourcing PPE was something that a lot of charities were finding hard to fund and source, especially with the demand effecting the governments supply chain. Charities were having to rely on donations but continued to need many hundreds of thousands more items such as masks, coveralls, anti-bacterial wipes, safety goggles, over-boots, gowns, aprons and thermometers.
Working closely with Runnymede Council Dmitry helped to source and donate essential PPE equipment for the NHS and he also assisted local residents in their bid to supply doctors and nurses working for our NHS with scrubs through the purchase of essential materials, again when supplies nationally were running low. He was delighted to help a group of local volunteers who were making pyjama style scrubs for under the NHS staff’s PPE equipment.
In addition to the above Dmitry also responded to emergency PPE appeals such as Jewish Care’s and having supported JFS (Jewish Family Services) for a number of years, Dmitry offered to donate towards funding for PPE which was and still is a vital form of protection against the spread of COVID-19.
“Jewish Care faces unprecedented challenges at this time, and we will need the generous support of all those who can help us tackle them head on – so thank you again, it is greatly appreciated and will make a real difference.”
Adam Overlander- Kaye, Director, Fundraising & Community Engagement
“Old and young people are losing, risking and having their lives put in jeopardy because of this awful pandemic. I feel that now more than ever, it is my moral duty to help where I can.”
Mr Leus added: “While I have no experience or knowledge in medicine, I am able to donate so that doctors can continue to fight for me, for my family, and for all of us. I sincerely hope those who see this and are in the fortunate position to be able to support and protect our frontline heroes fight Covid-19 do so in any way they can”.
Dmitry Leus, Founder of LEUS FAMILY FOUNDATION
At the peak of COVID- 19, Dmitry was one of the first donors to respond to St Georges, Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust (Charing Cross, Hammersmith, Queen Charlotte’s & Chelsea, St Mary’s and the Western Eye) and London’s The Royal Free Charity COVID relief appeals.
The appeals were set up to provide emergency support within the hospitals for those at the forefront, who had no other option but to put their life in jeopardy daily for the sake of their country.
The main focuses of the appeals were towards supporting and to providing critical assistance to staff and their wellbeing, and additionally, towards easing vulnerable patients and their family’s hardships imposed because of COVID.
Dmitry wholeheartedly supported the focus’s and felt such an overwhelming moral obligation to support those effected in the country.
Thanks to the donation’s that Dmitry provided, all hospitals were able to fund rest spaces throughout for weary staff were here they could come by crisis care, free food, well needed accommodation, psychological support and patients, particularly the young, were given technology devices and equipment to ensure they were entertained and in contact with loved ones when they weren’t able to visit due to them being high risk.
“We are extremely grateful for the incredibly generous donation in support of our Covid-19 Emergency Fund. The Leus Family Foundation have responded resoundingly to our public appeal and their gift will make a tangle difference to our critical work at this time. From the provision of care packages at the end of a very long shift, to psychological support and the creation of physical respite spaces for our staff, Imperium’s donation is directly helping to meet the needs of our local NHS heroes”.
Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust
“We are particularly grateful to long-term supporters who are able to support our NHS staff and our most vulnerable patients during this time of need. Their donation, and overall commitment to the charity will help us make a difference in the coming weeks and months”.
Amerjit Chohan, CEO, St George’s Hospital Charity
“We’re extremely grateful to Dmitry Leus for the incredibly generous donation in support of our appeal. We know the scale of the challenge is enormous and this significant contribution will make a huge difference in enabling us to get urgent support to staff on the front line.”
Ian Lush, Chief Executive of Imperial Health Charity
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