Volunteers deliver the gift of learning
June 2019
On Friday 21st June, Vauxhall Motors, Costa Coffee and local children’s charity Level Trust teamed up to provide 300 packs of vital learning resources to children in Luton.
With
We’re recruiting
June 2019
We’re looking for people to work on our SMASH summer school, to give children amazing holiday experiences. Find out more about the 2 roles we have available on our careers page.
Many hands make light work
July 2019
We’ve been hard at work refurbishing a new stock room for our Uniform Exchange. We’ve been lucky enough to have a huge amount of support from local organisations, who have
Theresa’s Story
One of our Link Workers, Theresa, has seen the difference a new coat makes to a child:
lt_boy2
“A little boy came up to me recently while I was on lunch duty to
Child poverty is becoming ‘the new normal’
May 2019
End Child Poverty, the UK’s leading child poverty coalition, has released new data that shows that child poverty levels are shockingly high – and is rising fast in
Majid’s Story
Majid’s parents work really hard to provide for him and his siblings. It’s still incredibly difficult to make ends meet, which makes Majid’s parents stressed and distracted.
lt_icon_notebook_cmyk
We gave Majid his very own
Thank you to our star trekkers!
April 2019
A team of 21 intrepid walkers have challenged themselves with the trek of a lifetime to raise money for Luton’s children.
On Saturday 6thApril, the group trekked an incredible
Visit from Gavin Shuker MP
February 2019
On Friday (22nd February), Gavin Shuker MP visited Level Trust, to hear how we tackle child poverty in our town.
1 in 3 children in Luton live in poverty. This
Challenge yourself for charity
January 2019
Make amazing memories with the walk of a lifetime and raise money for local children who need your help. Start 2019 on the right foot by signing up for Level Trust’s
Level Trust celebrates 5 years
October 2018
Over the past 5 years, we have helped thousands of families overcome the costs of education, so children in Luton have the chance to love learning.
27% of children in
Charity marathon place up for grabs
July 2018
We’re giving you the chance to win a place in the London Marathon 2019.
The marathon will take place on Sunday 28th April and is a great opportunity to
Cast your vote to give children a level chance
July 2018
Level Trust, a charity that helps families overcome the cost of school, is in with a chance to win up to £4,000 from Tesco’s Bags of
Luton children get the chance to love learning
June 2018
On Tuesday 19th June, Vauxhall Motors and local children’s charity Level Trust teamed up to provide 715 packs of vital learning resources to children and young people
Share the love this Valentine’s Day
February 2018
When money is tight at home, a child might not have the uniform and equipment they need for school. They are unlikely to be able to do fun things
Uniform Exchange open to Luton families
November 2017
A fantastic resource for Luton families was officially launched in The Mall this week (November 2017).
The Uniform Exchange is run by Luton charity Level Trust, which works to
New partnership with Machins Solicitors LLP
July 2017
We have been chosen as the Luton charity partner by law firm, Machins Solicitors LLP.
Machins’ Managing Partner, Mark Pelopida says “Level Trust is an incredible local charity and
Natalie’s Story
Natalie is 11 and goes to a local Luton primary school.
This year, Natalie’s dad died suddenly of cancer. Natalie’s Dad had been the main earner for the family and after his death Natalie
Frank has had a hard life. The lines on his face and the tooth decay tell it without words. He arrived at the Uniform Exchange with a bag containing his daughter’s school blazer and jumper. Sinead, his daughter,
15-year-old Farah noticed that her school shoes were starting to get too small for her.
She wore them for a couple of days but they started to really hurt her feet. Farah comes from a large family
Destiny lives with her brother and mum but not her dad, because he’s in prison. At school, she likes maths but she doesn’t like it when other children are mean. She told us, “I only have friends because
I feel extremely honoured to be the CEO of Level Trust.
It is a responsibility that I take very seriously. I spent many years as a senior leader in education working in a variety of settings including: custodial and secure units, mainstream primary and secondary schools and alternative provision.
I have been a part of the Level Trust team since 2021 and my favorite part of my job is working with our amazing staff, trustees and volunteers to support children and families across Luton. In my spare time you will find me walking my four dogs, reading or watching Strictly!
I support the running of our Uniform Exchange and Learning Locker and also work out in our amazing local community and schools to build relationships and reach those in need more directly. My favourite part about my job is using my own life experience to support families and meeting the wonderful next generation of adults. I love hearing individual thoughts and feelings straight from our community and seeing how we can help. I am so passionate about the importance of Level Trusts and its role in our community and I’m excited to see what the future holds.
As a successful HR professional with 20+ years experience at operational and strategic level, my
passion is unlocking the barriers to successful growth for SMEs with people at its core. Fuelled by my
passion and enthusiasm for understanding the needs of people and ensuring this contributes to the
success of business, I firmly believe that people are a business's greatest asset.
I am delighted and honoured to be supporting Level Trust in a people and HR capacity – playing a
part in the charity’s amazing journey and the incredible impact the team are having on the everyday
lives of those most vulnerable in society.
Outside of work, I place family at the heart of everything - nurturing my 14 year old Autistic child to
be the best he can be, and raising money and awareness for the charity Erase Meso – a charity
raising critical funds for Mesothelioma (Asbestos Cancer Research) following my brothers terminal
diagnosis 4 years ago but defying all odds, through clinical immunotherapy trials, now being in
remission.
Fowzia Ahmed is a teacher passionate about creating inclusive environments where young people feel supported and empowered to thrive. As a former Deputy SENDCo, she has extensive experience in safeguarding and SEND. She currently leads Student Leadership and Girls’ Aspirations, developing opportunities that inspire confidence and personal growth. Fowzia is also the founder of Barakah, a community initiative dedicated to empowering the next generation of female leaders.
I’m 28 and from Luton. I have 4 children who are 11, 7, 6 and 6 months. I grew up in Marsh Farm and know the struggles of not having the right uniform.
I enjoy visiting new places, crafting something up and spending time with my family.
I became a trustee for Level Trust because I have a strong love for all the work they do supporting families like my own with everyday problems. I’ve been in that situation myself and now I’m looking to advocate and help others benefit from all the opportunities Level Trust has to offer.
A qualified accountant with extensive experience in financial stewardship, Sharon Esnard serves as a trustee of Level Trust, helping to guide the charity’s strategic direction and ensure robust governance. Sharon is committed to creating a fairer start for children in Luton and uses her professional insight to support Level Trust’s mission of removing barriers to education. Her work reflects a strong belief in the power of practical, compassionate support for families.
Catherine Farrell has been involved in fundraising for over 28 years and has been working with Level Trust since March 2022.
An expert in networking, raising money for special projects, running capital appeals and core funding. Catherine has raised millions of pounds for social welfare projects, community and youth projects, homelessness, hospices and disability charities. She is energetic and passionate about her work and understands the motivation for giving. She is a trust and major donor fundraiser and has also obtained significant funding through national lottery sources.
Rachel Warwick is Chair of Trustees at Level Trust. She has experience in fundraising, marketing, and governance in education and the charity sector. Rachel founded the national holiday hunger charity MakeLunch in 2011 and is currently Director of Mobilisation at Scripture Union. She is passionate about tackling poverty and creating opportunities for children to thrive.
Sufian Sadiq is the Director of Teaching School at Chiltern Learning Trust, with responsibility for overseeing two regional Hub areas in the South East of England. Chiltern Teaching School are one of the largest providers of CPD to the sector nationally.
He is a passionate activist within the educational landscape around race, equity and inclusion. He is a Fellow and Board Member of the Chartered College of Teaching, as well as a Fellow for the Chartered Institute of Educational Assessors.
He plays an active role in numerous charitable organisations as a Trustee and also holds key governance roles within educational organisations.
Mostaque grew up in the Bury Park area of Luton, close to the Kenilworth Road stadium of his beloved Luton Town Football Club, where he holds the position of Community Ambassador.
He runs a local printing company Bartham Press, founded Community Interest Luton, and leads on its various initiatives which seek to better the lives of people in the region.
Mostaque has worked in business and charity for many years. He knows the local area and the people very well, and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to his ambassador role.
Chris is the Chief Executive of Youthscape, a national youth charity based in Luton. His work has focused on supporting young people’s development in areas like mental and emotional wellbeing.
In his spare time he’s a bit of a Mac nerd and a member of The Magic Circle.
-
Anisah graduated from UCL with a degree in Education and Philosophy and started her career in the field of admissions.
She is now Head of Student Experience and Corporate Communications for Luton Sixth Form College and is the youngest female, ethnic minority Head of Department in the history of the college.
Anisah is a strong advocate for Luton and showcases the town on a national platform, something which she describes as a privilege.
Wasim is a passionate solicitor who has grown up in Central Luton. As a Partner at Hannah Solicitors, he has been committed to promoting progression and creating opportunities for the young and upcoming generation.
Whether it’s legal advice, career guidance, or community development, he is always available to make a positive impact.
Wasim has worked with small boutique and large firms bringing together skills from both and is part of a community employment objective to create brighter futures.
Altaf is the Principal and CEO of Luton Sixth Form College, the oldest and one of the largest and best specialist sixth form colleges in the country supporting the dreams of over three thousand highly ambitious young professionals.
Altaf is convinced the future UK Prime Minister will come from Luton Sixth Form College – you read it here first!
I work for Whittaker Plane and alongside Level Trust. I am passionate about helping people and I enjoy working behind the scenes to make sure businesses run smoothly and efficiently. Originally from Chicago, I have now called Luton home for over 15 years. When not working, I can be found with my two kids or inside the pages of a good book.
Mark Plane qualified as a Chartered Accountant with ICAEW in 2011 and founded Whittaker Plane in 2014.
Whittaker Plane Ltd is founded on values of integrity and excellence and supports many businesses and charities to achieve their goals.
Whittaker Plane supports Level Trust with book-keeping, payroll, accounts and advice to the CEO and Trustee board.
As a Luton parent Mark has seen the great work of Level Trust in his children’s schools.
I run the Uniform Exchange and Learning Locker. As a mum with three children, I know what it's like trying to get everything the children need for school. You just get what they need and they grow, it breaks or they lose it! It can be really hard to find the money to replace or buy new things when there’s not much left after you’ve paid your bills. I like helping people and I get to know lots of families on my estate. I'm known as the uniform lady (!) and people say hello when I'm out with my family or walking my dog.
I have spent many years working within the public sector. At 18 years old, I joined the Police Force and spent a number of years policing on the front line. I then moved into education, primarily focussing on safeguarding and supporting children and young people. I have two young children myself, who keep me busy and I love to spend time outdoors exploring with them. You may also find me exercising or with my head in a book.
