This week, 150 charities across the UK and Ireland are celebrating after receiving donations of GBP 1,000 each as part of Benefact Group’s Movement for Good Awards.
For the fifth year running, ICMIF member Ecclesiastical Insurance and Benefact Group are giving away GBP 1 million to charities through their Movement for Good awards. Members of the public were invited to nominate causes close to their hearts, with 150 awards of GBP 1,000 announced yesterday.
More than 800 brokers nominated a charity close to their heart to receive GBP 1,000.
Examples of the charities that will benefit include London-based charity Bipolar UK LTD, which supports and empowers individuals living with Bipolar; Gloucestershire Nightstop, a charity offering emergency accommodation for 16-25 year olds; and The Saturday Café Club in Scotland, offering young disabled children fun activities, all of which received overwhelming public support across the country.
More than 15,000 good causes in the UK and Ireland received votes, thanks to over 245,000 nominations from supporters. The 150 winning charities were picked at random from those nominated, following 150 previous winners being selected in June of this year. Further gifts will be awarded throughout the remainder of the year.
Since the awards began, nearly 2 million people have nominated and made a difference to communities all across the UK and Ireland with more than GBP 5 million given to over 2,500 charities.
This year, 420 charities will be awarded donations of GBP 1,000, while 40 good causes will be awarded GBP 5,000 via special grants throughout the year, aimed at helping charities in specific sectors. Winners will be drawn at random and the more times a charity is nominated the more chance it has of being selected. Further gifts totalling GBP 500,000 will also be donated in larger amounts later this year.
To find out how to support the Movement for Good Awards and to nominate a cause in the UK or Ireland you care about visit www.movementforgood.com.
Richard Coleman, Managing Director at Ecclesiastical Insurance, said: “Thanks to the support of our broker partners and customers, we’re delighted to announce the second 150 winning charities who will each receive GBP 1,000 as part of our Movement for Good Awards. As part of Benefact Group’s family of businesses, our charitable purpose makes us so much more than an insurance company. We’re proud of our reputation as one of the most trusted insurers in our markets, and of the positive impact we make on society, by giving back all of our available profits to good causes.”
Mark Hews, Group Chief Executive of Benefact Group, said: “We would like to thank every single person who took the time to nominate a good cause as part of our Movement for Good Awards. Benefact Group is the third largest corporate donor in the UK and has an ambition to be the biggest. Owned by a charity, all of its available profits go to good causes, and the more the Group grows, the more the Group can give. We know that GBP 1,000 can make a huge difference to the incredible work that charities do and we’re looking forward to seeing how this financial boost will change lives for the better.”
Benefact Group has donated almost GBP 200 million to charitable causes since 2014 and has been recognised as the third biggest corporate giver in the UK. The organisation aims to reach GBP 250 million in donations by 2025.
