Local insurer’s support for Sunnyside Rural Trust reaches £19,000 as staff volunteering helps those

It is the third year the Hemel Hempstead Agency has supported the charity through NFU Mutual’s annual fund, with donations since 2022 now totalling £19,331. Alongside the monetary contributions, staff also rolled their sleeves up to help out with a number of volunteering days at Sunnyside Rural Trust – most recently at the start of this month.

Recent volunteering days have seen a new gate installed, a path dug out to the chicken coup to allow wheelchair access, sanding and treating a new compost toilet and removing concrete posts.

Sunnyside Rural Trust offers training and experience to adults with learning disabilities – including beekeeping, looking after chickens, growing a wide range of plants and produce, landscaping and garden maintenance. The near-£20,000 donations have so far helped fund a variety of projects including contributing towards funding for one of their trainees, a compostable toilet and a new roof for one of their buildings.

Keely Siddiqui Charlick, CEO of Sunnyside Rural Trust, said:“The Sunnyside team are extremely grateful to the NFU Mutual Hemel Hempstead team for the donation through the Agency Giving Fund. The money has funded a compostable toilet which allows us to offer a much-needed workshop space, in our wonderful orchard area. It gives people more independence and is environmentally friendly.

“We have developed such a positive relationship with the wonderful team at NFU mutual Hemel Hempstead, who have volunteered their time and skills generously over the last few years. We love seeing the team and they have supported our sites which support people with learning disabilities.”

The leading rural insurer launched the ‘Agency Giving Fund’, now in its fifth year, to help local frontline charities across the country. The fund forms part of NFU Mutual’s £3.25m pledge for both local and national charities in 2024, to assist with the ongoing recovery from the pandemic and to help tackle the impact of the rising cost of living.

To ensure these donations reach all corners of the UK and are directed to where they’re needed most, all NFU Mutual Agencies, with more than 280 offices nationwide, have been given the opportunity to nominate local charities to receive a share of the fund.

Jason Raven, from NFU Mutual Hemel Hempstead, said: “We are extremely proud to have nominated Sunnyside Rural Trust again for this donation and are delighted to be able to support the vital contribution they make to our community.

"It is also our pleasure to donate some of our time to help out with key projects on volunteering days, to witness first-hand the hard work they put in.”

For more information about your local NFU Mutual Agent in Hemel Hempstead, visit www.nfumutual.co.uk/agent-offices/hemel-hempstead/. .