Shawlands charity Give a Dog a Bone wins £50,000 award

The awards, set up by specialist insurer Ecclesiastical, have seen a total of £1million given to charities across the UK this summer.

500 have already been awarded donations of £1,000 and now 10 charitable organisations will benefit from £50,000 grants.

Give a Dog a Bone, which provides animal companionship for the over 60s, at home and in the community, to help tackle loneliness and isolation, was one of the 10 selected from nearly 800 entries.

The fund will allow the charity to open a third community space to build on its Companionship in the Community program.

The project provides a safe space for retired people to make new friends, learn new skills and mix with dogs.

Each of the £50,000 awards are designed to help charities take innovative projects to the next level in the fields of education, skills, arts, culture and heritage, as well as citizenship or community development.

Louise Russell at Give a Dog a Bone said: “We have never been granted an amount like this before, so this is huge. Not only will it allow us to open a third community space, which we would not be able to do without this cash injection, there will also be an impact on individuals within the community.

“We would like to thank our team and Ecclesiastical, but also the online community because without them this charity would not be what it is.”

Mark Hews, Group CEO of Ecclesiastical, said: “Ecclesiastical is unlike any other financial services group. Owned by a charity, our core purpose is to contribute to the greater good of society. Charitable giving is therefore at the heart of our business and we are proud to be the fourth largest corporate donor in the UK. Each of these £50,000 awards will fund innovative projects and good ideas that will help make people’s lives better.

“This summer our Movement for Good awards has motivated over 100,000 members of the public across the UK to support and nominate causes close to their heart. Now we are excited to see how this next financial boost will create a lasting legacy for all the award winners.”

For further information on the Movement for Good Awards and for a full list of the winning charities phase visit: www.ecclesiastical.com/movement-for-good