RARELY in life do you meet someone who genuinely lights up a room and whose personal energy simply fizzes. Last month I met such a person, his name, Dave Fishwick, or to many Dave of Bank of Dave film fame. If you haven’t seen the film, I strongly recommend it.  

He spoke at the Community Foundation’s Adventures in Philanthropy event, held to explore the joys, pleasures, challenges and sometimes, mistakes that arise when people dedicate themselves to giving in a meaningful and long-term way.  

Dave is self-made, grew up in Burnley in working class poverty, was bullied, teased, and told he’d make nothing of himself. How wrong his teachers were. He started his working life on building sites, began his first business selling and doing up second-hand cars and quickly graduated to vans and minibuses. He now runs the largest business selling vans and minibuses in the country. In the wake of the banking crisis, he was approached by people to lend money in support of local businesses.

Frustrated by the ‘computer says no’ approach of many banks, he went on to set up his own lending company, recycling all profits into local charities. His vision to create the first local, high-street bank in over 150 years is yet to be realised, but according to Dave, Rishi Sunak has promised to do all he can to bring that vision to reality.  

Dave is forthright in his views, he’s very public about choosing to give away 90 per cent of his wealth. He’s also aware that money can cause a lot of damage to the children of wealthy people if they’re not expected to work and have a purpose in life. He also believes that local people need to be involved in the running and organisation of the services we use. 

Dave was joined by local philanthropists Sarah Dunning, Ian Gregg, and Alex Scott, all of whom shared their views and wisdom. We need more people like Dave, putting their money to good use and focusing on the people and businesses in their own communities. Many of our guests left full of ideas, inspiration, and food for thought. Thank you, Dave, you’re a legend.  

Not everyone can be a major, long-term philanthropist, but most of us, fortunately, can give something. That principle was demonstrated beautifully when I decided to cycle from Land’s End to John O Groats in May. I gave myself 14 days to complete it. 

I asked friends and colleagues to consider donating to the fund I created in memory of my late wife Dora, the anniversary of whose death fell three days after the planned completion of the ride. Two weeks after I completed the challenge, my fundraising total topped the £10K mark with 102 people giving, some who knew Dora as a girl growing up in Windermere and others for whom she was only a name. 

The money donated will enable young Cumbrians from low-income families to take on adventures they could never dream of were it not for the support available from the Community Foundation. I’m still standing and hugely grateful for the kindness and generosity shown by all who know me. Thank you.