WHO YOU ARE HELPING

Pictured: Some Leeds Charity Committee members with local MP Alec Shelbrooke, outside Zurich House, The Growing Zone.

Our charity committees across the UK are working hard to ensure they award a total of £575,000 to causes in their local communities by the end of the year, a considerable increase from our 2010 commitment.  Quite a task at any time but this year, in particular, the committees have really stepped up to the mark.  At the beginning of 2011, not only did they have more funds to allocate per location but each committee was also charged with: 

• Spending at least 50% of their allocation supporting the running costs (core costs) of the charities.
• Spending at least 30% of their allocation developing multi year funding arrangements with charities – many being commitments lasting for up to 3 years.

So it's been a busy year!

Perfect partners

This longer-term approach to our  local grant making has seen the first of many new charity partnerships at grassroots level. Here's just three of many beautiful relationships springing up across the country.

Birmingham: Action for Children Young Carers and Birmingham Settlement. Both receive £7,500 each a year for 3 years.

Manchester:  Reachout, SEN Family Support Group and Survivors Manchester.  They each receive £5,000 a year for 3 years.

Leeds:  Caring Together in Woodhouse and Little London, Lineham Farm and The Growing Zone.  All three new partners will receive £5,000 a year for 3 years.

What they say 

This type of longer-term funding provides invaluable security for charities, something they truly prize in this economic climate.

"We feel very lucky to have received grants, challenges, skillshares and regular volunteering through Zurich and believe this to be one of the key reasons for the development of our new centre.  Many thanks for all of your support."Swindon MS Therapy Centre

"We cannot thank the team at Zurich enough for choosing us to work with you over the next 3 years, ensuring that Zurich and Project staff work together and contribute positively to each other’s future development and services.  During these challenging economic times, it is especially heart warming to know that a prestigious company like Zurich wants to work more closely with us and help us in our mission to support these disadvantaged children and young people." Pam Bloor, Action for Children