Zurich Community Trust welcomes new charity partners with £3.1m in support

Zurich Community Trust (ZCT) is set to invest £3.1 million in three national charity partners and 31 regional charities across 17 UK locations including Swindon, London, Whiteley, Glasgow, and Birmingham. The funding will support 17 existing partners alongside 14 new charities to the network.

Regional charities include:

• Hampshire charity Yellow Door which provides specialist support for those affected by domestic and sexual abuse
• Leeds charity Flourishing Families that supports children and families living in poverty
• Headway Swindon, a new charity partner for 2026, that will launch an annual Integrated Health Promotion Programme for adults with traumatic brain injuries

Samantha Owen, Interim Head of Zurich Community Trust, commented:

“We’re delighted to welcome all our new charity partners as part of Zurich Community Trust’s commitment to enriching communities. By working in partnership to support young people, improve mental health, and strengthen local networks, we aim to create lasting, positive change and empower our partners to make an even greater impact where it’s needed most.”

Young Lives vs Cancer – Homes from Home Service

Zurich will donate £885,000 to Young Lives vs Cancer to support its Homes from Home service, offering free accommodation near hospitals for families during treatment. Through this scheme, the charity supports families of children and young people with cancer with specialist social workers, financial grants. The funding will also help develop tailored activities and services that meet each family’s needs and strengthen local communities. Last year, the charity provided over 20,000 nights of accommodation, saving families more than £2 million.

Rachel Kirby-Rider, Chief Executive at Young Lives vs Cancer, said:

“We’re thrilled with this groundbreaking partnership with Zurich Community Trust. Their support will make a huge difference to young people with cancer and their families by helping us strengthen and expand our Home from Home service.

“Every year, more than 4,000 children and young people receive a cancer diagnosis in the UK. We rely on charitable donations to support them and their families. This is why we are excited to collaborate closely with ZCT to ensure that children and young people with cancer receive the support they need, when they need it.”

Mental Health Innovations

The three-year partnership with Mental Health Innovations will enable the Shout Crisis Text Line to deliver vital mental health support to thousands of young people across the UK. The £450,000 investment will fund around 75,000 text conversations over the three years, reaching approximately 45,000 young people who have nowhere else to turn. Demand for Shout services has surged since the pandemic, with the charity now handling around 2,000 conversations every day.

Victoria Hornby, CEO of Mental Health Innovations, said:

“We’re delighted to be working in partnership with the Zurich Community Trust to support thousands more children and young people with their mental health. As the UK’s only free, anonymous 24/7 crisis text service, Shout ensures no one faces a crisis alone, and ZCT’s incredible generosity will help us be there for people who feel they have nowhere else to turn. We look forward to working side by side over the next three years to continue to provide a vital lifeline to young people and children across the UK who so desperately need it.”

GoodGym

Zurich Community Trust (ZCT) is investing over £100,000 in a one-year pilot with GoodGym to tackle rising loneliness among 18–35-year-olds. The funding will train 20 young leaders to deliver free, community fitness sessions that combine exercise with volunteering, helping strengthen social connections and support local charities. The programme aims to engage 500 young adults in practical volunteering and fitness, establish five GP referral pathways for those experiencing loneliness, and gather evidence of improved wellbeing, confidence, and belonging. By demonstrating demand for youth volunteering opportunities, this initiative offers a proven, practical solution to reduce isolation and improve mental health.

Kim Hopkinson, GoodGym Head of Development said:

“We’re hugely thankful to Zurich Community Trust for getting behind this pilot. Loneliness is hitting young adults harder than anyone, and ZCT’s support means we can do something practical and positive about it. We know GoodGym can help people feel less alone and more connected, and this partnership allows us to offer that to young adults at a really important moment.”

To find out more about ZCT partners visit their websites:

• Young Lives vs Cancer
• Mental Health Innovations
• GoodGym