FOUNDER of Dreams bed shop Mike Clare has set up a 'charity hub' in Saunderton to improve and help charities in the area.

The Clare Foundation was officially launched by the Foundation's Chair of trustees Mr Clare with his wife, Carol.

The foundation will educate and train charities in how best to operate to ensure they become as effective and entrepreneurial as privately run companies.

Mr Clare invented the idea after he became a little disillusioned by the approach of some of the charities he had previously supported.

He said: “Apparently, I have a reputation for wanting to make money, yet this project isn’t making me a penny, however, I feel surprisingly excited and passionately about its potential for the good it can do.

“I had always planned to ‘put something back’, but I couldn’t find any one charity that tugged at my heart strings_, so helping such a broad ‘church’ of charities in this way, seems ideal and very worthwhile.”

The foundation acquired the Saunderton Estate in November 2009 and refurbished it to provide office accommodation for charities at subsidised rates.

It aims to help charities work more effectively to provide the best service they can.

Mr Clare added: “Our aim is to make a difference by helping charities deliver more of their income to their beneficiaries by reducing their overheads and increasing their efficiency.

“We want to reduce unnecessary duplication and provide cost effective buying for common resources.”