A small charity helping the homeless in the City of London has received a £5,000 donation from global financial firm Aberdeen Asset Management. The St Mary le Bow Homeless Project, based in the church of the same name, operates across the courtyard from Aberdeen’s London office in Bow Bells House on Cheapside.
Staffed by just two full-time employees and four specialist volunteers, the charity provides a vital service to young people who want to get off the streets and into permanent housing – and employment.
Every year, the Homeless Project provides discounted housing for up to ten people who have lost their homes, working with them to improve employability skills and providing apprenticeships at Pret A Manger – many of which turn into full-time employment. The team also works with ex-offenders to assist in finding jobs and learning working place skills.
“We were thrilled to receive a grant from Aberdeen Asset Management,” says Homeless Project director Michael Kenny. “We began aiding the homeless 27 years ago from St Mary le Bow church – just across the court and churchyard from Aberdeen’s offices – and we are indebted to them for their support in helping young people off the streets of London.”
Aberdeen remains dedicated to supporting the communities in which its employees live and work, funding projects which are important to those in the local area.
Claire Drummond, head of charitable giving at Aberdeen Asset Management, explains,
“It is important to everyone in Aberdeen Asset Management to make a positive impact on those living in the areas in which we work, so to be able to support a worthwhile charity so close to our London office is fantastic. Although a small operation, the St Mary le Bow Homeless Project provides an immensely valuable lifeline to young homeless people in London and has changed hundreds of lives since it was founded in 1990.”
The Aberdeen Asset Management Charitable Foundation was established in 2012 to formalise and develop the Group’s charitable giving globally. The Foundation seeks partnerships with smaller charities around the world, where funds can be seen to have a meaningful and measurable impact and the firm encourages its employees to use their time and skills to support its charitable projects. The main focus of the Foundation is around emerging markets and local communities, reflecting the desire to give back to those areas which are a key strategic focus of the business and to build on the historic pattern of giving to communities in which Aberdeen employees live and work.
For more information about the St Mary le Bow Homeless Project, visit www.stmarylebow.co.uk/homeless-project
For more information about the Aberdeen Asset Management Charitable Foundation, visit http://aboutus.aberdeen-asset.com/en/aboutus/responsible-business/aberdeen-charitable