Coronavirus: The City’s third sector has shone amid pandemic
The coronavirus outbreak is an unfolding global health emergency that requires us all to play our part.
We are seeing people from all walks of society across London and the UK coming together to tackle COVID-19 – be it through fundraising activities, volunteering in the community, or by simply checking in on a lonely neighbour during isolation.
One hugely admirable initiative is being spearheaded by Captain Tom Moore, who has now been supported generously by so many people to help raise funds worth many millions of pounds.
Read more: Firms must adapt to survive
The former British Army officer and war veteran completed 100 laps of his garden before his 100th birthday to raise money for NHS Charities Together, which supports staff and volunteers caring for COVID-19 patients.
What he has done is incredible and to be highly commended. As Captain Tom prepares for his centenary this week, the City Corporation is exploring how we can recognise his remarkable efforts.
We are also encouraging organisations and individuals, who can help, to follow suit by supporting good causes.
This week we donated £40,000 towards two charities providing vital support during the continuing crisis in London and the UK.
We have given £20,000 to the British Red Cross to support its work nationally and £20,000 to Team Rubicon UK to assist in its aid efforts tackling the coronavirus outbreak in London.
The donation to British Red Cross will go towards its work supporting the NHS, coordinating in communities to ensure the most vulnerable receive food packages and providing tailored support to vulnerable groups.
Funding for Team Rubicon UK is for work supporting Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, helping with the running of the NHS Nightingale Hospital at the Excel Centre and doing mortuary tasks in Westminster.
The donation comes from the City Corporation’s Disaster Relief Fund, which seeks to back emergency relief efforts, bringing its total donations in the last three years to £300,000.
The City Corporation’s charitable funder, City Bridge Trust recently announced new emergency funding for 170 small charities in London to support them through COVID-19. It is giving grants of up to £15,000 to all of the small charities it currently supports. The money will go towards supporting the charities with running costs and to help organisations in replacing loss of income, supporting them now and in the months ahead.
Finally, an alliance of funders, coordinated by the membership network, London Funders, has come together to pledge support to charities and civil society organisations affected by the outbreak. As part of this response, Canada Corporation, as trustee of Bridge House Estates, has established the London Community Response Fund as a vehicle to receive funds which can be used to make grants to charities and civil society organisations in London. The founding funders, City Bridge Trust and the GLA, both contributed £1million. City Bridge Trust is now doing a great job administering the work.
Charitable organisations in the UK are really having to adapt services to deal with the challenges posed by the lockdown.
These organisations are doing fantastic work supporting communities and are making a huge difference by drawing on their wealth of experience.
We encourage all individuals and organisations – who can help – to play their part and support these charities.