Hastings Direct launches £50,000 Covid-19 support scheme for local causes
Local insurance giant Hastings Direct has announced it is making an initial £50,000 available to support smaller charities through the coronavirus pandemic.
The scheme aims to help the most vulnerable in the community via food hamper provisions and through a community grant fund for local charities.
Locally the company will be raising money for Dom’s Food Mission, and at its branch in Leicester for a charity called Open Hands, a statement released by Hastings Direct says this is ‘to support the amazing work they both do for their local areas’.
Toby van der Meer, Hastings Direct’s Chief Executive Office said today: “Colleagues are passionate about supporting local charities and know the difference that £50,000 along with their fundraising will make to help the charities to continue to provide a lifeline of support to individuals and groups in the local community.”
The monies will be split as follows:
- Over £10,000 via Just Giving – Hastings has kicked this off with a £2,500 donation for each charity and its colleagues have been invited to additionally donate as and where they can, along with any kind contributions from the public. The company will then match contributions up to a further £2,500 for each charity.
- Up to £40,000 has been made available for any local charities that are helping communities with coronavirus related projects and schemes. The Hastings Direct Covid-19 Community Grant Scheme gives local charities within a 20 mile radius of Conquest House, the Hastings Direct head office, or St George’s Way where its Leicester office is based the opportunity to apply for a grant. The applicant must be a registered charity. To apply or for further information, please contact community@hastingsdirect.com.
Dom Warren, founder of Dom’s Food Mission, said this morning: “We are thrilled to be receiving this ongoing financial support from Hastings Direct to help keep our work going in our communities at this very difficult time.
“Since the coronavirus outbreak we have seen an increase in emergency food packages for families, NHS workers, the elderly and vulnerable as well as extra support for refuges and care homes, with those needing food increasing from 5,000 to around 6,000 mouths a month.
“Groups and individuals are increasingly feeling desperate and alone and I’m proud of the lifeline Dom’s Food Mission can provide.”
Mr van der Meer added: “We’re proud of our ongoing commitment to our local communities and the invaluable work they do.
“Over the past few weeks we have introduced a number of extraordinary measures to ensure that we keep colleagues safe and support our customers, especially NHS and frontline healthcare workers so we want to be there for our communities too. We hope our commitment and this support will allow charities and good causes to continue to help those in need at this difficult time.”
To support Dom’s Food Mission at this time, please visit https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/hd-domsfoodmission
To support Open Hands at this time, please visit
https://www.justgiving.com/fundraising/hd-openhands
