14 May 2007. Local man, Jon Yates, has just returned from a trip to Ukraine arranged by his employers, Zurich, to see first hand the work of the children’s charity, Hope and Homes for Children.
One of Zurich’s charity partners, Salisbury-based Hope and Homes for Children, work with orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable children across Eastern Europe and Africa. Hope and Homes for Children moves children out of bleak state institutions, supports desperate young mothers who may otherwise abandon their babies and provides a vital lifeline for families of AIDS orphans headed by frail grandparents or children. The charity believes that, above all else, a child needs the loving care of a family.
In addition to delivering local programmes with other partners throughout the UK, Zurich has worked with Hope and Homes for Children since 2003 through the Zurich Community Trust, and currently funds 80% of the staff and salary costs of the programme in Ukraine, where over 100,000 babies and children remain in state run institutions.
Jon, who is involved in Zurich’s Community Trust work, travelled to Ukraine with two other colleagues as part of Zurich’s “Seeing is Believing” programme – to see for himself the work that the charity workers are doing.
The trio returned exhausted and humbled after four days in and around Kiev, all inspired to continue to support and promote the important work that Hope and Homes for Children is doing.
Swindon-based Jon comments: "An illustration of how important Zurich's support for Hope and Homes for Children is concerns a 2 year old boy we met in Ukraine who is at risk of being placed in a State run institution. There he would be deprived of the individual care and love that every child deserves. Hope and Homes for Children are working to keep him with his mother and the way he clung to her told me that their work needs and deserves, continued support. I am using my experience of the "Seeing is Believing" visit to inspire my colleagues to continue to make a difference through all our community involvement programmes, both here and overseas."
The Zurich ‘Seeing is Believing’ programme has been running in the UK for over 10 years and has, up until now, been restricted to charitable projects carried out near to Zurich offices. This is the first time that an overseas project has been chosen, but, having had such an impact on the first three Zurich people to visit this project, there is already a trip planned for 2008 with three people already eager to go!
For further information contact:
Notes to Editors
Zurich Financial Services Group (Zurich) is an insurance-based financial services provider with a global network of subsidiaries and offices in North America and Europe as well as in Asia Pacific, Latin America and other markets. Founded in 1872, the Group is headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland. It employs approximately 55,000 people serving customers in more than 150 countries.
Zurich Community Trust (UK) Limited is a registered charity (registered charity number 266983), funded by pre-tax profits from Zurich and donations from Zurich’s staff. It provides an umbrella for all Zurich’s community involvement in the UK.
By giving time, money and skills donated from Zurich and its employees in the UK we help disadvantaged people to achieve independence.
Zurich Community Trust Programmes create sustainable change through long-term funding and active employee involvement. The Trust works closely with innovative partners to make significant impact on the lives of disadvantaged people in the UK and overseas. These programmes tackle drug misuse in families, social exclusion and the most vulnerable older people’s issues. In addition, there is a programme in southern India sharing Zurich business skills to help build capacity of Indian NGO’s. Mental Health and Families is the latest programme as other programmes come to their natural end.
Zurich Community Trust manages and matches Zurich employees' and financial advisers' £1 million donations, 46,000 hours of volunteering including around 200 team challenges involving 1,600 staff.
