Three Gloucestershire charities have each received £1,000 thanks to kind-hearted attendees at Ecclesiastical Insurance’s annual Christmas Carol Celebration.
The sold-out event took place at Gloucester Cathedral on Tuesday 17 December with attendees enjoying an evening of entertainment – including readings and performances from Ecclesiastical Staff Choir, Upton St Leonard’s School Choir and The Salvation Army Band.
Attendees were invited to nominate their favourite Gloucestershire-based charity to receive one of three Movement for Good award prizes as part of Ecclesiastical’s parent organisation Benefact Group’s annual Movement for Good Awards which gives over £1million to good causes each year.
Benefact Group has donated over £220million to charitable causes since 2014 and last year was recognised as the third biggest corporate giver in the UK[i]. The organisation aims to reach £250million in donations by 2025.
The three winning charities each receiving £1,000 are:
Rachel Cross, fundraising and communications manager at Listening Post, said: “We are most grateful and encouraged by the Benefact Group’s generous gift, particularly at a time of such pressure on charities and mental health services.
“This funding will enable us to bridge the shortfall in necessary funds to deliver around 50 counselling sessions to Gloucestershire residents in need this year.”
A plate collection on the evening also raised £1,429.73 which Benefact Group has match funded, bringing the total to £2,859.46 which is split evenly between Gloucester Cathedral and The Salvation Army (Gloucester branch).
Mark Hews, Group Chief Executive of Benefact Group, said: “Our annual carol concert is one of the highlights of the festive calendar and it’s a real privilege to host the event at our local cathedral which has a special place in our hearts.
“Owned by a charity ourselves, charitable giving is at the heart of what we do. This year we once again invited attendees to nominate a local charity close to their hearts for a chance to receive £1,000.
“We know that charities are struggling, and for many, the festive season is a critical time. I’m very grateful to everyone that voted for a charity and congratulations to the lucky recipients.”