Foresters Launches Community Grants Programme Enabling Members to Make a Difference to Their Community

    KENT, ENGLAND, January 09, 2014 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Foresters - the international financial services organisation- has launched Foresters Community Grants*. This innovative programme enables members to organise and lead a volunteer activity that's personal to them and to their own community, via a grant of GBP2,500.

Steve Dilworth, Managing Director, Member Network UK from Foresters, says: "This exciting new programme means our members can request grants for projects that are particularly close to their hearts. We hope this will engage more of our members in the Foresters purpose which is to enhance the well-being of families and communities."

A Community Grant can be applied for any type of volunteer activity that supports well-being in the family and the community. Typical activities can be completed in just a day and recent examples include preparing baby packs and organising gifts for the Cash For Kids appeal, cleaning up play parks, fund raising events such as costumed fun runs for charity, and supporting local food banks.

"Our Community Grants programme makes it easy for our members to get involved, whether they want to manage a whole event or simply help out for an hour" says Mr. Dilworth.

He adds that the unique programme was created as a result of listening to Foresters members who wanted to be able to make a personal impact on their community. "A typical example is Foresters volunteers who spent a day at the Down to Earth Community Farm and Oasis Pre School in Southampton painting toilets and fences, enabling those at the farm to do all the things that need doing there!"

Another example is where, on 7th December 2013, volunteers from the Huddersfield area joined together to pack 200 parcels for babies in care for the Cash for Kids charity at the Odeon Cinema in Huddersfield. Families worked very hard to pack the parcels up and make them look Christmassy. Volunteer Andrea Scrutton said "I felt quite emotional doing the task, knowing that this is going to help people who are really in need"

Research** shows that apart from the impact that volunteering has on individuals and communities, people who do volunteer work will enjoy many benefits themselves, such as learning new skills; meeting new people; feeling motivated and enjoying a sense of achievement; and even being more employable.

In 2013, Foresters granted more than GBP1.8million for volunteer and fun family activities in the UK, Canada and the US.

*Foresters Community Grants are available to eligible Foresters members. Restrictions apply. Foresters member benefits are non-contractual, subject to eligibility requirements and limitations and may be changed or cancelled without notice. For eligibility, programme criteria and other details, please visit Foresters.com.

**World Volunteer Web

ABOUT FORESTERS:

At Foresters we believe in enriching the lives of our members, their families and the communities they live in. We're member-based, family-focused, and community spirited.

Our products benefit both your family and your community. We champion the well-being of families through quality financial products, unique member benefits and inspiring community activities.

We share our financial strength with over one million members across the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States. Throughout our 135-year history, our purpose has been to enrich the lives of members, their families and communities. The priorities remain today and will guide our future.

As an example, our work with Cash for Kids in their 2012 Mission Christmas Appeal helped over 250,000 children to have a better Christmas and granted GBP5.3m in cash, gifts and toys to local children.

Forester Life is responsible for funds under management of over GBP2.8bn* and is part of Foresters, the international financial services organisation.

Internationally, Foresters has over GBP11bn** funds under management and has been assigned an 'A' excellent rating by A.M. Best.***

Safeguarding our members' interests is at the heart of what we do. Being financially strong and responsive, with sound governance and continuing professional service have always helped us to protect our members' benefits.

*As at 31 May 2013
**As at 31 March 2013

***An "A" (Excellent) rating is assigned to companies that have a strong ability to meet their ongoing obligations to policyholders and have, on balance, excellent balance sheet strength, operating performance and business profile when compared to the standards established by A.M. Best Company. A.M. Best assigns ratings from A++ to F, A++ and A+ being superior ratings and A and A- being excellent ratings. In assigning the ratings for The Independent Order of Foresters (Foresters) and its subsidiaries Foresters Life Insurance Company and First Investors Life Insurance Company on July 3, 2013, A.M. Best stated that the outlook for all ratings is "stable", which means they are unlikely to change in the near future. See ambest.com for the latest ratings.

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