More than 20 Peterborough charities - including Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice - get cash boost to help them through pandemic

More than 20 charities in Peterborough have received cash from the BGL Group to help them cope during the coronavirus pandemic.

Sue Ryder Thorpe Hall Hospice, one of BGL’s six charity partners, received £100,000 to assist with its running costs.

And more than 20 organisations in the Peterborough area have also applied for and received funding ranging from £500 to £10,000.

They include Peterborough Cruse Bereavement Care (£6,000), East Anglia's Children’s Hospices (£10,000), Peterborough Women’s Aid (£1,000) and counselling charity, Family Voice Peterborough (£5,000).

Louise Ravenscroft, of Family Voice, said: “Charities big and small are struggling at the moment. This donation from BGL has been absolutely phenomenal. It has enabled us to keep going and to continue to help many people at this difficult time.”

BGL has also achieved silver payroll giving status as more than eight per cent of colleagues have signed up to make a personal donation each month, with the group matching payroll donations up to £50.

The cash has been awarded as part of BGL's biggest giving campaign - Empower, Pledge, Donate, with 94 charities in the UK benefiting.

Caroline Raines, director of communications at BGL Group, said: “We have already made a massive difference to a number of good causes, including our six charity partners.

“The campaign is based on three simple principles: Empower, Pledge and Donate.

“We’re empowering our colleagues who want to do something more to support their community, or a cause close to them; pledging funds to our existing partners; and donating to causes facing additional strain as a result of the exceptional circumstances driven by coronavirus.”

BGL has offices at Orton Southgate, Peterborough, and a contact centre at Bretton and is home to brands including comparethemarket.com, LesFurets.com, Beagle Street, Budget and Dial Direct.