Manchester’s Michael Josephson MBE has raised millions for children’s charities, and is Variety, the Children's Charity Chief Barker
Michael Josephson MBE has created not only a hugely successful business, Stocks 2015 Ltd, but raises extraordinary amounts of money for charity each year, totalling over £8.5m by the close of 2023, and in 2024 is Variety’s Chief Barker, the first person resident in Greater Manchester to achieve this prestigious honour. The personal milestone for Michael coincides with an equally important one for the charity, which celebrates its 75th anniversary this year.
“When I first started fundraising on a big scale, I worked with Dame Esther Rantzen and I was heavily involved with ChildLine and the NSPCC. In 2015 I decided to change my focus a little, to choose and raise funds for smaller, more local charities which could make a huge difference in their own communities with relatively small amounts of money. The annual Michael Josephson MBE Charity Ball has become the must-attend fixture on Manchester’s society calendar and last year we raised £1,063,872 net total, which, shared among the carefully selected charities I work with, can make a life-changing difference.”
Michael has taken his Charity Ball to the point where it is renowned as the hottest ticket in town, with high profile and wealthy individuals, local and national organisations lining up for tickets. It's so well loved and celebrated as the best of nights out (where else might you enjoy great food, brilliant company and dance to Sophie Ellis-Bextor live while knowing you’re making a powerful difference to children’s lives) Michael is now in the enviable position where he has no need to promote the occasion, and is highly selective on who he accepts onto his guest list.
“I make no bones about it,” he laughs. “The Ball is all about raising money, that’s its only reason for being. Not a penny of what we raise goes towards expenses, this is covered by the generosity of our sponsors. That means that every penny donated by the attendees, for their tables, for every raffle ticket and bid on every auction prize and pledge, is a direct contribution to the charities we’re supporting. When I stand up on stage at the close of the night and announce the total raised, it’s a net amount – the number I read out is the number of pounds going to children’s charities– so I only want those people there who will make the funds raised the highest it can possibly be.”
It’s through his own childhood experiences that Michael first became aware of Variety, and the work they do in the UK and internationally.
“Variety gave me a Legend of Industry Award in 2015, and I met Lyn Staunton, the North West development director on that occasion. I told her that growing up I would see a Variety Sunshine Coach taking children out and about. It’s the first charity I remember, but I had thought this was all they did.
“When I found out they do wheelchair grants, support vulnerable families and children and so much more, I realised it was a charity I wanted to be engaged with and started making them one of the main beneficiaries of my annual Ball.
“In other charities I have supported, I have been a Patron or worked on the Patrons side of that charity, and Variety’s Patron programme is really vital to their fundraising, but was very London-centric, so I became the Chair of Patrons North, and then Chair of Patrons nationally ."
Those invited to be Patrons of Variety engage to support the charity for a three-year period and commit to contributing £10,000 over that period. Rarely does a Patron limit themself to this figure, however, and most stay on, raising awareness, networking on behalf of Variety and raising considerable sums to change the lives of so many disabled and disadvantaged children.
“I invite Patrons to attend special events, such as the Chairman’s Reception, held in London, or the Variety Club Showbusiness Awards. This year I shall be hosting a dinner here, in Manchester, and bringing Patrons based in the North together for a really special event – with lots of funds to be raised.
“It’s my objective in 2024 is to help many more disabled and disadvantaged children, who otherwise would not get the opportunities they deserve to live their lives to the best of their own capabilities, and to ensure they know that people do care and are willing to help them achieve their own goals in life. I'm aiming to increase both revenue and awareness and help to showcase the wonderful work being done by the charity".
Michael is the first to admit that downtime is a loose concept in the Josephson household, as running a business, organising the Charity Ball, spending time meeting with every charity he donates to, and his current role as Chief Barker all require significant dedication of time and energy.
“I couldn’t do it without my partner, Lindon, by my side. He puts up with my constant focus on fundraising and helps me every step of the way – we have become experts at begging for extraordinary raffle prizes and money can’t buy auction lots. It's a lifestyle, not a job or a hobby – it's what we do.”
Michael and his company, Stocks 2015 Ltd, were headline sponsor at the 2024 Cheshire Life Champions Awards, which celebrated our sister title's 90th anniversary year.
Editor of Cheshire Life, Joanne Goodwin, said: "The awards honoured outstanding individuals and organisations who contribute positively to life in the county and there could be no better example of that than Michael whose philanthropy and generosity improves the lives of so many young people across the region.”
Michael adds: “It was something I was delighted to get involved with; it really means a lot to me. Cheshire is filled with people who really work hard to make a difference in their communities, whether this be as an individual or as part of a team, and these people deserve respect, recognition and celebration. Even the smallest helping hand can make an immense difference to children and families in need.”
Variety: a global charity with local impact
Variety, the Children’s Charity, launched in October 1927 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania USA when 11 close friends formed a social group called The Variety Club. On Christmas Eve in 1928, the group found a one-month-old baby girl abandoned in a cinema seat. They decided to oversee the baby’s upbringing and named her Catherine Variety Sheridan. When the story hit the newspapers, donations came flooding in so the Variety Club sought out other children they could donate the excess to.
Variety was brought to Great Britain in 1949 by HRH Prince Philip, who used his international contacts in the world of showbusiness to help bring the charity over from America. Since being brought to the UK, Variety, the Children’s Charity of Great Britain has helped millions of disabled and disadvantaged children and their families.
In 2023, in the North West, Variety delivered:
21 individual grants
4 Variety Sunshine Coaches
4 wheelchairs
11 Variety Great Days Out, including visits to theme parks
Programmes
Equipment grants: Variety pays for assistive devices for children irrespective of disability, illness or cost.
Wheelchair grants: Variety fills a need for wheelchairs when healthcare systems and local authority wheelchair services do not.
Sunshine Coaches: Variety Sunshine Coaches are fully accessible minibuses that cater for SEND schools and non-profit organisations working with disabled and disadvantaged children and young people.
Variety Great Days Out: Variety Great Days Out creates magical memories for children who may otherwise not have the opportunity to go on a special outing.
To learn more about Michael, his charity work and how you too can support, go to michaeljosephsonmbe.com. For more information about Variety, the Children's Charity, go to variety.org.uk.
