NFU Mutual Wessex, based in Salisbury and Wareham, has chosen 2 local charities to each receive a donation of more than £6,400 from a national £2 million ‘Agency Giving Fund’ launched by NFU Mutual head office. The two charities are Salisbury Foodbank and Julia’s House Children’s Hospice, based in Dorset and Wiltshire.
This donation has enabled both charities to support and make a difference to their local communities during the pandemic.
John Pitt-Brooke, chair of the Salisbury Foodbank board, said “We are extremely grateful for help from NFU Mutual Wessex. The first few months of 2021 have been our busiest ever, with more families and individuals than ever before coming to us for help. And we expect 2021 to be our busiest year ever as we see the damage done by the pandemic. In order for the Salisbury Foodbank to meet that demand we rely on the vital help and support from our friends such as NFU Mutual Wessex.”
Caroline Attreed, Corporate Fundraiser of Julia’s House, said “The support of the local community has meant so much to everyone at Julia’s House over the last year, especially the generosity of local businesses like the amazing team at NFU Mutual Wessex. Knowing our supporters are by our side, helping us continue to care for vulnerable local children and families has meant a great deal. The pandemic has had a devastating impact on our fundraising income and we need public support now more than ever. Our shops opened again on 12 April and our hospices have now opened for one to one sessions with our children, in the meantime we are visiting families in their homes providing clinical care, support and a welcome break for exhausted and isolated parents who desperately need to rest and recharge. Thank you for helping us to keep seriously ill children safe and well at home and relieve pressure on the NHS. Your continued support is what makes a difference every day.”
Steven Bartlett, Senior Partner at NFU Mutual Wessex, said “COVID-19 continues to have a huge impact on everybody, including our customers and their local communities. Salisbury Foodbank and Julia’s House have been making a wonderful difference to our community during these challenging times, and we feel extremely proud to hear how our support has made an impact.”
Background to these donations
In light of the national emergency our country is continuing to face, NFU Mutual, the UK’s leading rural insurer, announced this £2million fund in February to help local frontline charities during 2021. This follows £1million of support delivered by NFU Mutual’s Agency Giving Fund in 2020, which helped charities across many sectors to keep their life-changing services going throughout the pandemic.
To ensure these donations reach all corners of the UK and are directed where they’re needed most, NFU Mutual’s Agents, with over 300 offices nationwide, have been given the opportunity to nominate local charities to receive a share of the fund. The funds will be distributed over 16 weeks from the end of February, offering support as lockdown measures continue to impact our communities.
