Lloyd’s Charities Trust is to donate this year’s Special Award of £50,000 to Whitechapel Mission Centre.
The award will enable the centre to open overnight during the winter period and expand its life skills service. They will be able to employ another life skills support worker to help centre users with skills for the future such as cooking, budgeting and job hunting.
Whitechapel Mission opens every day of the year to help people find a bed for the night and provides breakfast, showers, clothing, basic medical services, employment support and advice. When the temperature drops below zero in winter, the centre is open throughout the night offering accommodation for up to 250 people.
Graham White, Chairman of Lloyd’s Charities Trust, said: “I am delighted that we are able to help Whitechapel Mission continue their invaluable work with the homeless community in East London. The services they provide offer to thousands what we take for granted, as well as a safe environment, where the homeless are treated humanely and kindly.”
Employees throughout Lloyd’s have already supported the Mission by volunteering before work to serve breakfast, sort through donated clothing and help the life skills centre.
On receiving the award, Tony Miller, Director of Whitechapel Mission, said: “We are extremely grateful for the support we’ve received to date from Lloyd’s on so many levels and are delighted to have received the Lloyd’s Special Award for 2009. Employees have given generously of their time to assist in delivering all of our core services and Lloyd’s has demonstrated a true commitment to supporting the homeless community and to supporting their volunteering staff.”
Richard Ward, CEO of Lloyd’s, has volunteered at the Mission himself. “Having seen the incredible work the team at the Whitechapel Mission do first hand, I’m very pleased that we are able to make a contribution to support them.”
Notes to editors
• The annual award is a one-off donation of £50,000 to a charity making a positive contribution to an issue or subject of interest to the Lloyd's market.
• This is the third annual Lloyd’s Charities Trust Award; the previous two being awarded to International Alert, aiding companies in conflict areas around the world, and the e-learning Foundation, a charity working to bridge the digital divide for young people from low-income families.
• Lloyd’s Charities Trust is the grant making charity for the Lloyd’s market. Established over fifty years ago, Lloyd’s Charities Trust has a long tradition of providing charitable support to a wide range of national and international charities on behalf of the Lloyd’s market.
• Founded in 1876, Whitechapel has been caring for the poor and homeless of London regardless of race or religion, in their struggle against hunger, poverty, disease, prejudice and exclusion. Whitechapel Mission offers a lifeline to between 150 and 200 people every day, rising to as many as 350 on a bank holiday. During the last year they served 63,750 hot breakfasts and showered and clothed more than 7,800 people.
For further information, please contact:
Louise Shield
Tel: +44 (0)20 7327 5793 Fax: +44 (0)20 7327 5229 Email:
louise.shield@lloyds.com
Bart Nash
Tel: +44 (0)20 7327 6272 Fax: +44 (0)20 7327 5229 Email:
bart.nash@lloyds.com
For urgent out of hours media calls Tel: +44 (0)7659 597 825
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