Three charities based in Manchester have shared a £30,000 windfall as part of Ecclesiastical Insurance Group’s annual Movement for Good awards.
Sharks Community Trust, Humans MCR and The Maggie Oliver Foundation are three of 30 charities chosen by a panel of judges that will benefit from the money.
The fund will allow Sharks Community Trust, which uses the power of sport to engage, educate and inspire the local community, to extend its ‘positive futures’ project offering 1-2-1 mentoring to young people who are either homeless or vulnerably housed.
Humans MCR aims to break the generational cycle of food poverty and will be using the donation to open a ‘grocers on wheels’ service to improve accessibility for those most in need.
The Maggie Oliver Foundation, which provides support for adult survivors of child sexual abuse, will be recruiting a Case Support Worker to bolster the 1:1 over-the-phone service it provides.
Each of the £10,000 awards are designed to help charities make a real difference in their communities. Applications were assessed against four key areas; impact and effectiveness, sustainability, innovation, and care and compassion.
Mark Hews, Group CEO of Ecclesiastical, said: “At Ecclesiastical we believe business should be a force for good. Charitable causes need sustained support and a sense of financial stability. Through the second phase of our Movement for Good awards we are actively championing innovation, giving charities the backing they need to propel their plans forward and turn creative ideas into practical solutions that benefit society. We know that £10,000 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.”
“Ecclesiastical, the fourth largest corporate donor in the UK, is a unique financial services group. We are owned by a charity which means all available profits can be given to the good causes that are so important to our customers. As a company whose purpose is to contribute to the greater good of society, charitable giving is at the heart of our business.”
Maggie Oliver, Founder and Chair, The Maggie Oliver Foundation says: "As a small charity with a big mission of creating a society where survivors of childhood sexual abuse are empowered to live fulfilled and successful lives, and where every survivor is treated with dignity and respect, this award of £10,000 will make a huge difference. We are so grateful to Ecclesiastical for helping us to grow our support to survivors who are bravely seeking justice."
For the third year running, the awards, set up by specialist insurer Ecclesiastical, will see a total of £1million go to charities across the UK. An amazing 210,000 people around the UK supported the Movement for Good awards during its first phase earlier this year, with over 13,000 charitable causes up and down the country receiving votes. The 500 winning charities were picked at random from those nominated and were awarded £1,000 each.
Phase two saw over 1,000 project submissions for the £10,000 awards. Following a review of all the applications, a panel of judges made their final selection of the 30 winning projects. The remaining money will be awarded at a later date.
For further information on the Movement for Good awards, visit: www.ecclesiastical.com/movement-for-good