Zurich Community Trust (UK) Ltd has announced children’s cancer charity CLIC Sargent as a new national partner.
The decision follows a poll of Zurich staff in which over 1,500 employees took part. CLIC Sargent emerged as the clear choice of staff, who had said in an earlier survey that children's causes in the UK came top of the issues they wanted Zurich Community Trust to support.
CLIC Sargent will receive a grant of £150,000 over three years to fund the charity’s “Right from the Start” appeal. This will ensure a total of 750 children with cancer and their families in the UK will receive the emotional and practical support they need from the point of diagnosis.
This support includes the first three vital sessions with a CLIC Sargent social care professional, who will ensure that the children and their families are emotionally supported through diagnosis, that they have someone to turn to for information and that all family members are supported to adjust to the impact of cancer.
Steve Grimmett of the Zurich Community Trust, said: “We are very excited about announcing CLIC Sargent as our new national charity partner. CLIC Sargent is a truly unique organisation which is there for children from the point of diagnosis and helps the whole family cope with the impact of cancer and its treatment, life after treatment and sadly, when necessary, bereavement.
“We have involved Zurich staff in each step of this decision and it’s great so many of them took part in making this choice. Zurich is committed to being a truly responsible corporate citizen and through Zurich’s Community Trust we look forward to supporting CLIC Sargent”.
CLIC Sargent is the only organisation in the UK that directly employs staff to support children with cancer, and their families, in this way. They have highly experienced, professionally qualified social care teams in each of the 19 specialist hospitals in the UK where children with cancer are treated. Each year the organisation helps around 95% of all children under 16 who are diagnosed with cancer.
Andy Brown, CLIC Sargent’s Trust Fundraising Manager, said: “We are delighted that Zurich staff and Zurich Community Trust has chosen us as their new, national partner. Children with cancer and their families tell us time and time again what a vital support our social care professionals are at this very difficult time in their lives. We’re deeply grateful for Zurich Community Trust’s support. It will help us make a real difference to children and their families.”
Zurich Community Trust’s other national partners include Marie Curie Cancer Care and Hope and Homes for Children. At the heart of the Trust’s activities is ‘Zurich Cares’, the award-winning employee charity fund. Through this scheme, every Zurich employee is encouraged to spend one paid day a year volunteering in the local community. The donations and funds raised by Zurich employees are matched by the Zurich Community Trust, providing finance to support hundreds of local charities, their three national charity partners and a range of projects overseas.
ENDS
For further information please contact:
Rajan Lakhani - -0207 648 3503 (rajan.lakhani@uk.zurich.com)
