Astounding Words

For millions of people, the recession is a time of belt-tightening and cutbacks.

But what about those who have millions to give?

How are some of Britain’s most prominent philanthropists responding to the recession?

Recent research from Barclays Wealth indicated that one in four wealthy philanthropists had actually increased their giving in the last 18 months.

Half of those replying said that because governments had more debt, giving would become more incumbent on rich individuals.

Radio 4’s The World At One has been hearing from several of the country’s wealthiest benefactors about how the recession has affected them, and about how the charity sector needs to change. In fact, more and more people are willing to donate to charity despite the recession

“There are fewer demands, but they are more urgent,” says Dame Vivien Duffield, looking back on the changes of the past six months.

She chairs The Clore Duffield Foundation, which specialises in donating to the arts in the philanthropic work begun by her father, the millionaire businessman Sir Charles Clore.

It is estimated that she and the foundations she controls have given more than £175m.

But says the difficult economic conditions have led to different kinds of requests. Dame Vivien Duffield says demands are more urgent and for more money

“Those ‘fewer demands’ are often for more money and there’s an awful lot of what I’d call ‘filling up the gap’ demands, behind both other givers and the government,” she says.

“There are also almost no capital appeals coming in - people are frightened to start a new building project in this day and age.”

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