Tag: Benefact Group

Scottish charities receive share of £120,000 festive financial boost

Twelve charities based in Scotland have received a £1,000 Christmas gift thanks to the Benefact Group.

The charities were nominated to win a share of £120,000 by members of the public as part of the Benefact Group’s annual 12 days of giving Christmas campaign.

Action Against Stalking, a charity that supports and protects people who are affected by stalking, and Specialist Search Dogs, the organisation that trains dogs to the highest national standards to enable professional search dogs to partake in missing person scenarios, are among the local charities set to benefit from the money following overwhelming public support in the area.

Over 52,000 votes for charities were cast by generous residents of Scotland, helping to spread festive cheer for charities this Christmas.

Thanking supporters in Scotland, Mark Hews, Group Chief Executive of Benefact Group, said: “We are thrilled to be giving £120,000 to 120 fantastic charitable causes across the country and I’d like to thank every single Scotland resident that took the time to nominate a charity close to their hearts. 

“We know that £1,000 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.

“Benefact Group is the third largest corporate donor in the UK and has an ambition to be the biggest. Owned by a charity, Benefact Trust, all of its available profits go to good causes, and the more the Group grows, the more the Group can give.”

The full list of the 120 charity winners is available to view online at www.movementforgood.com/12days

The 12 winning charities in Scotland are: 

·       Action Against Stalking

·       St Vincents Hospice Limited

·       Springer Rescue for Scotland

·       The Maggie Fleming Animal Hospice

·       Back Onside

·       Calum’s Cabin

·       Specialist Search Dogs

·       Parklea Association Branching Out Ltd

·       Drummond School Welfare Fund

·       Ardgowan Hospice Ltd

·       Sports Driving

·       Food Train

Scots encouraged to nominate a charity to receive a festive financial boost

Benefact Group’s Movement for Good Awards is giving away £120,000 as part of its annual 12 Days of Giving Christmas campaign

For 12 days in the lead up to Christmas the specialist financial services group is giving £1,000 to ten charities each day – with 120 charities in total benefitting from a festive financial boost.

Nominations are now open and Scotland residents are being encouraged to nominate a cause they care about to give them a chance of receiving a share of the award money.

Draws will take place every weekday between 1st – 18th December and nominating is easy using the online form at www.movementforgood.com. Winners are drawn at random and the more times a charity is nominated the more chance it has of being selected.

Last year more than 17,700 people from across Scotland nominated good causes to receive an award, resulting in 12 charities landing donations.

Emma Razi, Head of Fundraising, at SCOTLAND: The Big Picture who benefitted from £1,000 last year, said: “We were thrilled to receive £1,000 via the 12 Days of Giving campaign. This supported our work to make more rewilding happen across Scotland – benefiting nature, climate and people.”

Mark Hews, Group Chief Executive of Benefact Group, said: “We’re delighted to be giving away another £120,000 in valuable donations to causes around the country. We know that charities across the country are struggling, and for many the festive season is a critical time. We’re asking residents to take a few minutes of their time to nominate a cause they especially care about.

“Benefact Group is the third largest corporate donor in the UK and has an ambition to be the biggest. Owned by a charity, all of its available profits go to good causes, and the more the Group grows, the more the Group can give. We know that £1,000 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.”

Benefact Group has donated over £200million to charitable causes since 2014 and has been recognised as the third biggest corporate giver in the UK[1]. The organisation aims to reach £250million in donations by 2025.

Earlier this year, 300 £1,000 awards were donated followed by £480,000 of larger grants in October. 

Movement for Good is funded by EIO plc, part of the Benefact Group.

Scottish charities celebrate share of £1million fund

17 charities based in Scotland are celebrating today after receiving donations of £1,000 each as part of Benefact Group’s Movement for Good Awards.

For the fifth year running, Benefact Group is giving away over £1million to charities through its Movement for Good Awards. Members of the public were invited to nominate causes close to their hearts, with 150 awards of £1,000 announced today. 

Cat Concern, a charity that helps to rehome cats, The Saturday Café Club, a charity offering young disabled children fun activities, and Touch of Love Outreach, a charity that helps support families in Aberdeen experiencing real hardship, are some of the charities set to benefit from the money, following overwhelming public support in the country.

Kind-hearted Scottish residents donated their time and submitted more than 24,500 nominations for charities close to their hearts, with over 1,200 causes receiving votes.

More than 15,000 charitable causes in the UK and Ireland received votes, thanks to over 250,000 nominations from supporters. The 150 winning charities were picked at random from those nominated, following 150 previous winners being selected in June. Further donations will be awarded throughout the year.

Since the awards began, nearly 2million people have nominated and made a difference to communities all across the UK and Ireland with more than £5million given to over 2,500 charities. 

This year, 420 charities will be awarded £1,000 donations, while 40 good causes will be awarded £5,000 via special grants throughout the year, aimed at helping charities in specific sectors. Winners will be drawn at random and the more times a charity is nominated the more chance it has of being selected.  Further donations totalling £500,000 will also be given in larger amounts later this year.

To find out how to support the Movement for Good Awards and to nominate a cause you care about visit www.movementforgood.com.

Thanking supporters in Scotland, Mark Hews, Group Chief Executive of Benefact Group, said: “We would like to thank every single person who took the time to nominate a good cause as part of our Movement for Good Awards.

“Benefact Group is the third largest corporate donor in the UK and has an ambition to be the biggest. Owned by a charity, all of its available profits go to good causes, and the more the Group grows, the more the Group can give.

“We know that £1,000 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.”

Full list of winning Scottish charities:

  • Accord Hospice
  • Aunchenblae Pre-School Group
  • Burntisland and District Pipe Band
  • Cat Concern
  • Edinburgh Tamil Sangam
  • Group for Recycling in Argyll and Bute Trust Limited
  • Kenyawi Kids
  • Mearns Kirk Helping Hands
  • Neighbourhood Watch Scotland 
  • PLUS (Forth Valley) Ltd
  • Saving and Rehoming Strays 
  • Scottish Badgers 
  • Start-Up Stirling
  • Stronger Together for Autism and Neurodivergence 
  • The Maggie Fleming Animal Hospice
  • The Saturday Café Club
  • Touch of Love Outreach

Benefact Group has donated almost £200million to charitable causes since 2014 and has been recognised as the third biggest corporate giver in the UK1. The organisation aims to reach £250million in donations by 2025.

Movement for Good is funded by EIO plc, part of the Benefact Group.

Scottish residents urged to nominate a charity to receive share of £1 million 

Residents in Scotland can nominate a good cause to receive £1,000 as part of Benefact Group’s Movement for Good Awards.

Now in its fifth year, the Movement for Good Awards will once again see more than £1million gifted to charities up and down the UK and Ireland. 

Since the awards began, people in Scotland have submitted over 141,400 nominations and 179 Scottish based charities have benefited from valuable donations. 

While the pandemic and the current economic climate has had an adverse effect on cash donations, the amount of people choosing to volunteer their time for a good cause is rising.

Scottish residents can now give a minute to nominate a charity online at www.movementforgood.com.

The Movement for Goods Awards has gifted over £4million to charities in the UK and Ireland since the initiative started.

Winners will be drawn at random and the more times a charity is nominated the more chance it has of being selected. 150 winning charities will be announced from 1 June, with a further 150 revealed in September. Further gifts will be awarded throughout the year.

Mark Hews, Group Chief Executive at Benefact Group, says: “We are immensely proud to be supporting many hundreds of charities through our Movement for Good Awards for the fifth year running.

“We know that £1,000 can make a huge difference so we’re asking that people give a minute of their time to nominate a cause they care about to receive an award.

“Owned by a charity ourselves, charitable giving is at the heart of what we do and all of our available profits go to good causes. With financial strain continuing to impact many households the Movement for Good Awards represents a great way for people to continue to support causes close to their hearts, without worrying about an additional cost.

“Any charity can win no matter how large or small and even with just one nomination. So find a minute, jump online and nominate – because that small amount of time is invaluable for charities.”

Benefact Group has donated almost £200million to charitable causes since 2014 and has just been recognised as the third biggest corporate giver in the UK2. The organisation aims to reach £250million in donations by 2025.

Movement for Good is funded by EIO plc, part of the Benefact Group.

Visit www.movementforgood.com to nominate a charity now.

Scottish charities scoop share of £120,000 festive financial boost

Twelve charities based in Scotland have received a £1,000 Christmas gift thanks to the Benefact Group.

The charities were nominated to win a share of £120,000 by members of the public as part of the Benefact Group’s annual 12 days of giving Christmas campaign. The Edinburgh Remakery was among the winners.

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture, a nature charity using rewilding projects to help tackle climate crisis, Smalls for All, an organisation providing underwear for those in need, and ME Research UK, which raises funds to tackle ME, are among the local charities set to benefit from the money following overwhelming public support in the area.

Over 17,700 Scotland residents nominated a cause close to their hearts. The 120 winning charities across the UK were picked at random from those nominated.

Thanking supporters in Scotland, Mark Hews, Group Chief Executive of Benefact Group, said: “Charitable giving is at the heart of our business at the Benefact Group.

“We are delighted to be giving back to deserving charitable causes once more with our annual 12 days of giving Christmas campaign, part of our Movement for Good Awards. In these challenging times, we know that £1,000 can make a real difference and we’re looking forward to seeing how this festive financial boost will changes lives for the better and bring a positive start to 2023.

“Out of some five million companies in the UK, we are the fourth largest corporate donor* and have an ambition to be the largest. As a Group of financial service businesses, uniquely owned by a charity, all available profits go to good causes, and the more our loyal customers support us to grow, the more the Group can give.

“As a company, our purpose is to contribute to the greater good of society and, together, we can help many good causes to continue their support for those who need it most in these difficult times.”

A representative from SCOTLAND: The Big Picture said: “Thank you so much for your support, we will use this award to drive rewilding across Scotland for nature, climate, and people. Thanks again, we’re really grateful”

The full list of the 120 charity winners is available to view online at:

www.movementforgood.com/12days

Movement for Good Award for The Edinburgh Remakery

The Edinburgh Remakery has been granted £10,000 as part of the Benefact Group’s Movement for Good Awards. 

The latest phase of the Movement for Good Awards will see more than £500,000 in funding be awarded to 31 charities working across the climate change and environment, education and skills, heritage and arts and rural and community sectors.

The Scottish based charity is an award-winning environmental social enterprise committed to creating a culture of sustainable, waste-free living and protecting the planet for future generations.

The £10,000 funding will go towards the charity’s Tech Exchange for Community Hubs project, which will gift up to 200 refurbished electronic devices to 10 Community Hubs, giving their beneficiaries essential access to digital support and services and replacing old devices with newer, higher quality, refurbished ones.

The awards are designed to help charities make a real difference in their communities and beyond. More than 500 charities applied for the funding with the winning projects being selected against four criteria: impact and effectiveness, sustainability, innovation, and care and compassion.

Mark Hews, Group Chief Executive of Benefact Group, said: “At Benefact Group we believe business should be a force for good. More than ever, charitable causes need sustained support and a sense of financial stability.

“Through our Movement for Good larger-grant awards, we are championing a more imaginative way of supporting charities so that they can have some certainty in these challenging times.

“We know our funding can be a lifeline to those who are struggling with cost-of-living increases and a grant of this scale can make a huge difference to the incredible work that charities do.  

“Benefact Group is the fourth largest corporate donor in the UK and has an ambition to be the biggest. Owned by a charity, all our available profits go to good causes, and the more the Group grows, the more the Group can give. As a company whose purpose is to contribute to the greater good of society, charitable giving is at the heart of what we do.”

Elaine Brown, CEO of The Edinburgh Remakery Ltd, said: “The Edinburgh Remakery social enterprise is committed to supporting people in our communities whilst creating positive change for our planet.

“We reduce waste by taking in old electronics to be refurbished and reused, we reduce carbon emissions by providing affordable and eco-friendly alternatives to buying new, and we support our communities by providing people in need with gifted tech devices and valuable life skills to improve employability, confidence and wellbeing.

“Thanks to the Movement for Good funding, we are able to further our mission and help even more people whilst reducing waste and helping our planet at the same time.”

Movement for Good is funded by EIO plc, part of the Benefact Group.

Movement for Good award for Edinburgh Remakery

The Edinburgh Remakery has been granted £10,000 as part of the Benefact Group’s Movement for Good Awards. 

The latest phase of the Movement for Good Awards will see more than £500,000 in funding be awarded to 31 charities working across the climate change and environment, education and skills, heritage and arts and rural and community sectors.

The Scottish based charity is an award-winning environmental social enterprise committed to creating a culture of sustainable, waste-free living and protecting the planet for future generations.

The £10,000 funding will go towards the charity’s Tech Exchange for Community Hubs project, which will gift up to 200 refurbished electronic devices to 10 Community Hubs, giving their beneficiaries essential access to digital support and services and replacing old devices with newer, higher quality, refurbished ones.

The awards are designed to help charities make a real difference in their communities and beyond. More than 500 charities applied for the funding with the winning projects being selected against four criteria: impact and effectiveness, sustainability, innovation, and care and compassion.

Mark Hews, Group Chief Executive of Benefact Group, said: “At Benefact Group we believe business should be a force for good. More than ever, charitable causes need sustained support and a sense of financial stability.

“Through our Movement for Good larger-grant awards, we are championing a more imaginative way of supporting charities so that they can have some certainty in these challenging times. We know our funding can be a lifeline to those who are struggling with cost-of-living increases and a grant of this scale can make a huge difference to the incredible work that charities do.  

“Benefact Group is the fourth largest corporate donor in the UK and has an ambition to be the biggest. Owned by a charity, all our available profits go to good causes, and the more the Group grows, the more the Group can give. As a company whose purpose is to contribute to the greater good of society, charitable giving is at the heart of what we do.”

Elaine Brown, CEO of The Edinburgh Remakery Ltd, said: “The Edinburgh Remakery social enterprise is committed to supporting people in our communities whilst creating positive change for our planet.

“We reduce waste by taking in old electronics to be refurbished and reused, we reduce carbon emissions by providing affordable and eco-friendly alternatives to buying new, and we support our communities by providing people in need with gifted tech devices and valuable life skills to improve employability, confidence and wellbeing.

“Thanks to the Movement for Good funding, we are able to further our mission and help even more people whilst reducing waste and helping our planet at the same time.”

Movement for Good is funded by EIO plc, part of the Benefact Group.

Join us on Saturday 29th October at the Edinburgh Remakery where a collection of 10 designers share their antidote to fast fashion with one collective vision in an exciting live fashion show.

We’ll also be raising money for the Edinburgh Remakery to reintroduce their free drop-in Sewing Repair Sessions – open for anyone to join who wants help to mend, alter or reimagine their clothing or textile items.

We want to make repair skills and services accessible to everyone in Edinburgh, which is why we want to keep these sessions free; to help people learn new valuable skills, gain confidence, and meet other like-minded individuals in our community. 

Find out how you can help and support our free sewing sessions here.

Scottish charities scoop share of £1million fund

23 charities based in Scotland have received donations of £1,000 each as part of the Benefact Group’s Movement for Good Awards.

For the fourth year running, the Benefact Group is giving away £1million to charities through its Movement for Good awards. Members of the public were invited to nominate causes close to their hearts, with another 250 awards of £1,000 available now for donation. 

Euan’s Guide, A Bear Named Buttony and Doodle Trust are some of the local charities set to benefit from the money, following overwhelming public support in the country. More than 18,500 kind-hearted residents have voted for charities across the country so far. 

In total, more than 202,000 people around the UK supported the Movement for Good awards, with over 3,900 charitable causes up and down the country receiving votes. The 250 winning charities were picked at random from those nominated, following 250 previous winners being selected in June.

It’s quick and easy to nominate, you can vote for your favourite charity online at: www.movementforgood.com

Thanking supporters in Scotland, Mark Hews, Group Chief Executive of Benefact Group, said: “We would like to thank every single person who took the time to nominate a good cause as part of our Movement for Good Awards.

“Benefact Group is the fourth largest corporate donor in the UK and has an ambition to be the biggest. Owned by a charity, all of its available profits go to good causes, and the more the group grows, the more the group can give.

“As a company whose purpose is to contribute to the greater good of society, charitable giving is at the heart of what we do. We know that £1,000 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.”

A further 120 £1,000 grants will be given away in December and £500,000 will also be given in larger grants later this year.

For more information about the awards visit www.movementforgood.com 

Movement for Good is funded by EIO plc, part of the Benefact Group.

Full list of winning Scotland charities:

Euan’s Guide

Faceyouth SCIO

A Bear Named Buttony

More Than Fibro (SCIO)

The Church of Scotland

Seil Island Community Hall Charity

Doodle Trust

Wellbeing Scotland

Signpost

Held in Our Hearts

Back Onside

Scotia Amateur Swimming Club

NappiRunz

Ecologia Youth Trust

Amma Birth Companions (SCIO)

West Coast Furniture Bank SCIO

The Learning to Understand Needs and Abilities Project

The Rock Trust

Buttons & Bows Baby Bank

Tap Into IT Where You Are Ltd

The Indigo Childcare Group

Dundee West Community Trust

The School Bank West Lothian

Scottish charities celebrate share of £1 million Movement for Good fund

13 charities based in Scotland have received donations of £1,000 each as part of the Benefact Group’s Movement for Good Awards.

For the fourth year running, the Benefact Group is giving away £1million to charities through its Movement for Good awards. Members of the public were invited to nominate causes close to their hearts, with 250 awards of £1,000 available now for donation. 

Touch of Love Outreach, Hindu Mandir (Glasgow) and Women’s Aid Orkney are some of the local charities set to benefit from the money, following overwhelming public support in the country.

More than 9,450 kind-hearted residents have voted for charities across the country so far. In total, more than 104,000 people around the UK supported the Movement for Good awards, with over 7,250 charitable causes up and down the country receiving votes.

The 250 winning charities were picked at random from those nominated, with a further 250 winners being selected in September.

It’s quick and easy to nominate, you can vote for your favourite charity online at: www.movementforgood.com

Data gathered from the nominations so far has revealed that 41% of Scotland residents still intend to donate to charitable causes despite the increase in the cost of living, showing just how generous they are. Additionally, residents are more likely to support a local charity rather than a national or international one.

Thanking supporters in Scotland, Mark Hews, Group Chief Executive of Benefact Group, said: “We would like to thank every single person who took the time to nominate a good cause as part of our Movement for Good Awards.

“Benefact Group is the fourth largest corporate donor in the UK and has an ambition to be the biggest. Owned by a charity, all of its available profits go to good causes, and the more the group grows, the more the group can give.

“As a company whose purpose is to contribute to the greater good of society, charitable giving is at the heart of what we do. We know that £1,000 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.”

A further 120 £1,000 grants will be given away in December and £500,000 will also be given in larger grants later this year. For more information about the awards visit www.movementforgood.com 

Movement for Good is funded by EIO plc, part of the Benefact Group.

Full list of winning Scotland charities:

Touch of Love Outreach

Finn’s place

Hindu Mandir (Glasgow)

Women’s Aid Orkney

Sports Driving

Broughty Ferry YMCA

Dunfermline Athletic Disabled Supporters’ Club

Thistle Youth Football Club

Lead Scotland

Baba Yangu Foundation (SCIO)

Scottish Burned Children’s Club

Ladies of the rock

Equi-Power Central Scotland RDA SCIO

Say it with flowers! Garden of gratitude appears in Edinburgh

Thousands of tulips line the Vennel Steps in the heart of Edinburgh’s old town thanking the public for supporting charitable causes. 

For the fourth year running, Benefact Group is giving away over £1million to charities with the return of its Movement for Good Awards. 

To mark the occasion, thousands of brightly coloured tulips have appeared in the city centre. The garden of gratitude features 1,500 bunches of flowers representing a ‘thank you’ on behalf of the 1,500 charities that have already benefited from the awards to the members of the public who voted for them. 

From today, people are once again invited to nominate a cause close to their hearts for a potential £1,000 award to help make a difference.

This year, another 500 charities around the UK will each receive £1,000 during the campaign.

It’s quick and easy to nominate, you can vote for your favourite charity online at: www.movementforgood.com

Each of the 4,500 wooden tulips have been individually hand-made in the UK, featuring hand-written thank you notes.

Mark Hews, Group Chief Executive of Benefact Group, says: “We’re delighted to announce the launch of Benefact Group’s Movement for Good Awards for the fourth year running.

“We hope that our Garden of Gratitude reminds people that their nominations really do make a difference.  Thanking those who have chosen good causes they love, as well as celebrating the 1,500 charity beneficiaries over the last three years is, we think, a fitting way to start this year’s awards. 

“Benefact Group, formerly named Ecclesiastical Insurance Group, is the fourth largest corporate donor in the UK and is keen to give even more. Owned by a charity, all of its available profits go to good causes, and the more the group grows, the more the group can give. As a company whose purpose is to contribute to the greater good of society, charitable giving is at the heart of what we do.”

Since the initiative began in 2019, more than 210,000 people across the UK have nominated causes they care about, leading to more than 13,000 charities receiving votes.

Anyone can nominate a registered charity at any time for the chance to receive £1,000. The first 250 winners will be announced in June, a further 250 winners will be announced in September. 

Winners will be drawn at random and the more times a charity is nominated the more chance it has of being selected.

A further 120 £1,000 grants will be given away in December and £500,000 will also be given in larger grants later this year. For more information about the awards visit www.movementforgood.com

Movement for Good is funded by EIO plc, part of the Benefact Group.