Customers give their small change to make a big difference

Three charities that support people and communities in Shropshire have received a welcome boost, thanks to a firm of financial advisers and a national building society.

Severn Hospice, the Shropshire and Staffordshire Blood Bike volunteers and Newport Cottage Care Centre have received donations totalling £600 from the Yorkshire Building Society and Newport based Robert Nicholas Financial Advisers, which operates an agency for the society.

The money was raised through the building society’s charitable foundation and its Small Change, Big Difference campaign.

The event allows customers to donate the annual pence of interest from their savings or mortgage accounts. The average donation is less than 50p per year and the maximum is just 99p.

Customers, colleagues and members of the public were asked to recommend three local charities to receive a £100 donation from the foundation, which was then match funded by Robert Nicholas Financial Advisers to double the donation.

Robert Nicholas Director Stephen Graves said they had been delighted to support three such worthy charities.

“Each organisation does great work supporting those people who live in our community. We are very pleased that our customers could donate their small change to make a difference to these charities.

“It is such a positive initiative that we, and our customers, were very proud to be part of.”

Severn Hospice provides care and support for people living with an incurable illness. Newport Cottage Care runs a day centre for older people and the blood bike volunteers make emergency deliveries of blood products to hospitals in the area.