Scottish Friendly colleagues raise £25,901 for Action for Children, while also supporting Scottish Book Trust and Developing the Young Workforce.
Year one of initial three-year community involvement fundraising and volunteering programme.
Throughout 2023, colleagues ramped up fundraising and volunteering efforts in support of Action for Children, Scottish Book Trust and Developing the Young Workforce.
Colleagues courageously took on the Three Peaks Challenge and Boycott Your Bed to raise vital funding for Action for Children, participated in festive fundraising activities such as a Bake Sale and Christmas Jumper Day, and donated food packages to vulnerable families. In total, Scottish Friendly raised £25,901.
Colleagues also volunteered to help at Action for Children’s annual fundraising music quiz ‘Never Mind the Business’. These efforts are a continuation of Scottish Friendly’s existing relationship to support Action for Children’s vital work to help vulnerable children, young people, and families.
The Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour is supported by Scottish Friendly and organised by the Scottish Book Trust. In 2023, the Scottish Friendly Children’s Book Tour had a busy program of events which took authors and illustrators to many different parts of Scotland, from the Western Isles of Orkeny to the Scottish Boarders of Dumfries and Galloway.
Many amazing and award-winning authors, illustrators and poets took part in the 2023 tour including Joseph Coelho, Fiona Lumbers and Joseph Elliott. The tour visited a total of over 10,000 pupils (almost 3,000 in-person and 7,000 virtually) across 249 schools (37 in-person and 212 virtually) across 23 local authorities.
Scottish Friendly has also partnered with Developing the Young Workforce, partnering with Bannerman High School in 2023. Through this partnership Scottish Friendly has supported Bannerman High School with career fairs, CV writing and interview skills through workshops.
In September 2022, Scottish Friendly hired its first three apprentices, with a recruitment approach of visiting high schools across Glasgow, North and South Lanarkshire to drive engagement from pupils who may not necessarily believe they have the skills to work within Financial Services. Scottish Friendly appointed three apprentices who each had no previous experience in Financial Services. At the end of 2023, all three achieved an SVQ level 2 in Business and Administration (SCQF 5), with each of them subsequently accepting permanent positions.
Stephen McGee, CEO of Scottish Friendly commented:
Our commitment to Action for Children, the Scottish Book Trust and Developing the Young Workforce speaks to our overall ambition to create opportunities for financial inclusion and improve the lives and outlook of young people.
This impactful work resonates with our core values, reflecting our responsibility to empower communities and live up to our purpose for our customers, colleagues, and wider society.
We recognise strength comes from solidarity and by working together, we believe we can create a meaningful impact to help cultivate a better future. I take great pride in the work we have already done, and we only intend for this to continue.
Contacts:
Kevin Brown, PR & Communications Manager, Scottish Friendly.
07512194336
Editors notes:
About Scottish Friendly
Scottish Friendly is a leading UK mutual life and investments organisation. It provides investors and their families with a wide range of investment and protection solutions and provides life and investment products and services to other financial organisations.
Scottish Friendly has roots stretching back to 1862. Established as the City of Glasgow Friendly Society, its name changed in October 1992 when it took over Scottish Friendly Assurance.
In recent years Scottish Friendly has significantly restructured its business. The Group has flourished through a three-part growth strategy of organic growth, mergers and acquisitions, and business process outsourcing.
Scottish Friendly, Galbraith House, 16 Blythswood Square, Glasgow, G2 4HJ
Scottish Friendly Assurance Society Limited. Authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.
Scottish Friendly Asset Managers Limited. Authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority.
About Action for Children
: Action for Children Scotland works directly with more than 25,000 children, young people, parents and carers each year. With 90 services in Scotland, we are in communities where you live and work. We help transform the lives of thousands of children and young people each year and we’ve been doing so for 65 years. For more information, visit
or follow us on Twitter
For media enquiries or interviews please contact, Joel Meekison, News and Media Officer at Action for Children in Scotland:
or 07411 482505. Out of hours 07802 806 679 / [email protected]