From advice for women to martyr’s shrine
Beckum association Women Helping Women (Frauen helfen Frauen Beckum e.V.) has worked to protect women and girls from all forms of violence and support them in living free from violence since 1986. It also educates the public and professional groups on topics relevant to women and promotes reduction of violence between the sexes and improvement of the social status of women and girls. For many years, one third of the association’s funding has come in the form of an annual grant of €10,000 from the Marianne Blumenbecker Foundation.
One of Beckum’s greatest cultural treasures is the St. Stephanus parish church with its Prudentia reliquary shrine. Constructed in 1230, the shrine has held the relics of Prudentia, a martyr, since 1881, and was recently restored to its original condition at great expense. Dr Martin Gesing from Beckum Municipal Museum, who was in charge of the restoration, was able to keep to the elaborate colour scheme thanks to funding from the Marianne Blumenbecker Foundation for his comprehensive documentation.
Current projects:
- Support for the „Beckumer Mütterzentrum“ through the monthly funding of € 1.200,- for three places in the home for children and youth and through the already formerly supported project “ambulant visitors- and care-service for seniors”, until 2012 € 36.000,- will be announced for it at first.
Other projects that have received assistance in recent years are:
- The geriatric department of Beckum Hospital – €25,000 for treatment materials.
- The Ehrenpreis Centre for Swift Studies at Münster University – €3,000 towards the purchase of five books dated 1625. (Jonathan Swift was the author of "Gulliver’s Travels".)
- Financial support for an exhibition by artist Ute-Marion Pöppel.
- A donation towards technical equipment for the Höxberg windmill.
- A donation to Hammer Forum for medical treatment at St. Elisabeth Hospital in Beckum for a child from a war-torn country.
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