Plymouth charity wins £10,000 Movement for Good award

A charity based in Plymouth will receive a £10,000 windfall as part of Ecclesiastical Insurance Group’s annual Movement for Good awards.

First Light South West Ltd is one of 30 charities chosen by a panel of judges that will benefit from the money.

The fund will allow the charity, which supports adults and children recovering from domestic abuse and sexual violence, to kick-start its new project, Tell Me – a volunteer led listening and mentoring service providing on-going regular support for victims of domestic abuse.

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.”

Lyn Gooding, Chief Executive of First Light South West, said: “We are delighted to be working with Ecclesiastical’s Movement for Good to close the gap in support for people effected by domestic abuse. An independent, listening and supportive mentor will be vital in helping many people move forward following abuse, whilst providing vital skills and experience for volunteers.”

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 please visit: www.ecclesiastical.com/movement-for-good