We’re delighted to announce that we are one of 30 charities chosen by a panel of judges to receive £10,000 as part of specialist insurer Ecclesiastical’ Movement for Good awards, which is giving £1million to good causes this year.

Funding from Movement for Good will help The Link to establish a new ‘Link Reach’ project which will enable them to identify and provide support to more than 50 older people in targeted rural areas suffering from chronic loneliness and isolation.

The aim is to build connections with local parish councils, village halls, community groups, faith groups, small businesses and organisations in order to recruit 50 plus volunteers and to raise awareness of the importance of strong connections and friendship.

The awards are designed to help charities make a real difference in their communities. More than 1,000 charities applied for the funding and the winning projects were selected against four criteria: impact and effectiveness, sustainability, innovation, and care and compassion.

The funding will support The Link Visiting Scheme over the next three years.

“The Link Visiting Scheme has enabled 1000’s of new connections where we see lives transformed through friendship. We daily see the value of offering quality time and focused attention and how this turns lives around. We serve densely populated parts of our Borough well, but there is demand in our rural regions.

We are so grateful to Ecclesiastical for this important grant. £10,000 will help us serve this community better and to continue to make a crucial difference to many people who so often feel forgotten.” Marjie Walker, CEO, The Link Visiting Scheme

Mark Hews, Group Chief Executive at Ecclesiastical Insurance Group, 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.”

For more information visit: www.ecclesiastical.com/movementforgood

Our £10,000 Movement for Good Award