Ecclesiastical staff help transform Age UK Manchester charity shop

Staff from the specialist insurer based at St Ann’s Place have donated £4,375 to Age UK Manchester this year to help support vulnerable elderly people in the area who have been struggling to eat and get groceries during the COVID-19 crisis.

Now volunteers Sue Rayment and Andy Tomlinson have painted a retro themed mural to help transform the charity’s shop in Chorlton, which re-opened on Saturday 17 October 2020. The shop now specialises in vintage and retro items and the charity is currently seeking donations of retro and vintage clothing and homeware to sell in the store.

Ecclesiastical has supported Age UK Manchester for the past five years by regularly fundraising and volunteering for the charity. This year, the money raised will help Age UK Manchester to continue with its emergency response work supporting vulnerable older people in facing the challenges presented by COVID-19. In addition to their usual range of support services for older people, Age UK Manchester has distributed thousands of emergency food parcels across Manchester during the pandemic. The charity has also helped to tackle the issues around loneliness for those people who have had to isolate for health reasons.

Age UK Manchester is an independent charity and largely relies on donations from the public and income from its charity shops.

Sue Rayment from Ecclesiastical Insurance said: “Our team are dedicated to supporting Age UK Manchester and we are passionate about everything we do to help them to continue their fantastic work supporting vulnerable elderly people in our local community. It gives us great pleasure to think we have helped to brighten the lives of the elderly people in their care. Ecclesiastical encourages all of its staff to volunteer and fundraise for good causes and matches 100% of what its employees fundraise.”

Sally Dervan, Chief Executive Officer at Age UK Manchester, said: “Our partnership with Ecclesiastical has delivered huge benefits for older people in Manchester that go way beyond the amazing amount of money raised. Staff from Ecclesiastical have shown such a genuine interest and enthusiasm for our work. Through all of the volunteering projects they have shown dedication and commitment to improving the lives of older people in so many ways, from brightening up the physical environment in our day centres to doing focused fundraising activities for individuals facing particular hardship. It is great to know that Ecclesiastical staff share our vision for older people in Manchester and that we can work together in such a productive, friendly and joyful way, achieving some really incredible outcomes.”

Ecclesiastical staff gave more than £340,000 to good causes in 2018 through personal grants and matched donations for fundraising and payroll giving as part of the company’s ‘My Giving’ scheme.

Recently, Ecclesiastical launched its latest Impact Report to celebrate some of the many good causes it has helped.