Member Article

Risk Services’ hat-trick wins for Cheshire charities

A leading commercial insurance broker has helped to secure almost £20,000 to help fund the vital work of three Cheshire charities.

Chester-based Risk Services (NW) Ltd nominated Children Today, Deafness Support Network and the National Communities Resource Centre in the annual Aviva Community Fund.

Deafness Support Network has received an award of £9,388 allowing it to run its popular Deafness and Dementia Café service across Cheshire for a second year. The café helps to break down barriers for individuals and reduces isolation by promoting and encouraging social inclusion.

Children Today has received £5,000 to host a circus-themed Family Fun Day. The Chester-based charity provides specialised equipment and services for children and young people with disabilities throughout the UK.

The final recipient is the National Communities Resource Centre which has also been given a grant of £5,000. The charity, based in Chester, provides training and support to people living in disadvantaged communities and the money will go directly towards buying new equipment, furniture and entertainment facilities for its Youth Futures programme.

The funding for the three charities was made possible because of Risk Services’ close partnership with Aviva which runs an annual Community Fund to support good causes across the UK.

Steve Lowe, Managing Director of Risk Services, said: “We are thrilled to be able to support these three exceptional charities to the tune of almost £20,000.

“In the case of Children Today, it continues our partnership of last year when they were our chosen Charity of the Year.

“The Aviva Community Fund provides an opportunity each year for brokers to help charities submit applications for crucial funding. There is strong competition from good causes across the UK and every application is subjected to rigorous scrutiny.

“We have a number of clients within the charitable sector and part of our commitment to them is looking for opportunities, such as the Community Fund, to provide added value.”

Bob Birchall, CEO of Northwich-based Deafness Support Network, said: “We are delighted to receive this money and it will help us to continue to run our successful pop-up cafes. Deafness can leave people feeling socially isolated, but our cafes give people a place to meet and chat and help them to understand that they are not alone.”

Sally Wyatt, Chief Executive of the National Communities Resource Centre, which celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, said: “This donation will be put to great use by the young people we support. We’re going to create a dedicated space with sofas, table tennis tables and football tables where they can interact and relax after being on one of our training courses.”

Paula Hanford, Regional Fundraiser for Children Today, said: “This generous grant is an incredible start to our year as our charity relies totally on voluntary donations. We are all really looking forward to putting these funds to good use with a fun-filled Family Fun Day where the community can all come together to help support our work and raise funds for specialised equipment for children and young people with disabilities.”

NOTES TO EDITORS

· For more information, please contact Lucy Mason at Mason Media on 0151 239 5050 or 07903 197402 or email: lucy@masonmedia.co.uk

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Mason Media .