• The funding will help the charities to provide immediate relief to some of the most vulnerable groups with initiatives that will alleviate loneliness, and by enabling the provision of basic needs such as groceries and critical transport
• Donation follows a broader set of initiatives introduced by Santander UK to support communities in response to the coronavirus outbreak
The Santander Foundation today announced a £1miilion donation to Age UK and Alzheimer’s Society to support some of the most vulnerable people in the community following the outbreak of COVID-19.
The funding (£500,000 for Age UK and £500,000 for Alzheimer’s Society) will assist both charities who are on the frontline of offering vital support for both older people and those affected by dementia. Age UK and Alzheimer’s Society have a long history of helping vulnerable people in the community and the donation will go towards both existing and new initiatives launched to support those who are now at even greater risk of isolation.
Sue Willis, Trustee of Santander Foundation said: “Age UK and Alzheimer’s Society are doing some fantastic work to provide the elderly and those affected by dementia the appropriate and crucial support they need during this difficult time. We hope this donation can provide some much-needed immediate relief to some of the most vulnerable groups in our communities with initiatives that will alleviate loneliness, and by enabling the provision of basic needs such as groceries and critical transport.”
Kate Lee, Alzheimer’s Society Chief Executive said: “This donation will help us support thousands of people during an unsettling and uncertain time by funding our Dementia Connect Support line. Through the support line, our expert Dementia Advisers will provide people with dementia, their relatives, neighbours and friends with tailored information, guidance and emotional reassurance throughout this health emergency.”
Laurie Boult, Fundraising Director at Age UK, said: “Older people are facing an exceptionally testing and difficult time, but we are steadfast in our commitment to be there for older people across the country. We need to continue to offer vital information and advice and friendship over the phone, as well as practical support in local communities. This support from Santander will help us reach so many older people. We’re determined to rise to the challenge and continue to provide comfort, hope and practical support to those who need it most.”
The donation comes alongside a broader set of initiatives introduced by Santander UK in response to the coronavirus outbreak to support communities. These include supporting charity partners who want to repurpose the funds donated by the bank so far to respond to the crisis and doubling the work time that employees can claim to volunteer.
Santander UK efforts contribute to the Santander Group commitment to fight Coronavirus announced by the Group earlier this week (click here to see the related press release).
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Notes to Editors
Santander Foundation is a UK registered charity providing support to communities through grants and matched donations for Santander UK colleagues. In 2019 the Foundation started a strategic review to define its new charitable priorities and deliver more impactful programmes to support the communities.
Over the last six years, the Santander Foundation has provided over £26 million in funding to more than 14,000 UK charities through charitable programmes. For more information, please visit: www.santanderfoundation.org.uk.
Santander UK is a financial services provider in the UK that offers a wide range of personal and commercial financial products and services. At 30 December 2019, the bank had around 23,500 employees and serves around 14 million active customers, via a nationwide branch network, telephone, mobile and online banking. Santander UK is subject to the full supervision of the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) and the Prudential Regulation Authority (PRA) in the UK. Santander UK plc customers’ eligible deposits are protected by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme (FSCS) in the UK.
Banco Santander (SAN SM, STD US, BNC LN) is a leading retail and commercial bank, founded in 1857 and headquartered in Spain. It has a meaningful presence in 10 core markets in Europe and the Americas, and is one of the largest banks in the world by market capitalization. Its purpose is to help people and businesses prosper in a simple, personal and fair way. Santander is building a more responsible bank and has made a number of commitments to support this objective, including raising over €120 billion in green financing between 2019 and 2025, as well as financially empowering more than 10 million people over the same period. At the end of 2019, Banco Santander had EUR 1.05 trillion in total funds, 145 million customers, of which 21.6 million are loyal and 37 million are digital (52% of active customers), 12,000 branches and 200,000 employees. Banco Santander made underlying profit of EUR 8,252 million in 2019, an increase of 2% compared to the previous year.
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