SIX Swindon charities will benefit to the tune of £360,000 thanks to the Zurich Community Trust.

The trust has donated the money as part of a package worth more than £2 million to regional organisations around the UK.

Charities were chosen by Zurich’s Swindon-based employees, with a focus on poverty, dementia, domestic abuse, and mental health.

New charity partners Big Breakfast Plus, which provides free cooked breakfasts to the homeless in Swindon, and The Harbour Project for Swindon refugees and asylum seekers, have received £20,000 each.

Big Breakfast Plus chair of trustees Charlotte Mannion said: “We are in the business of feeding hungry people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness.

“With this partnership, we can be there for them all. To know we can continue to offer our 35 to 50 guests a choice of freshly cooked breakfast five mornings a week in a warm and inviting environment is gratifying.”

The Recovery Tree, which provides work opportunities for people recovering from mental illness, has been awarded £35,000.

Funding of £35,000 has been donated to Swindon Carers Centre to help deliver one-to-one support and counselling to those living with dementia.

Meanwhile, Swindon and Gloucestershire Mind has also received £35,000, which will pay for a new member of staff to lead on diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Swindon Domestic Abuse Support Service will use part of its £35,000 of funding to continue preventative work in schools.

CEO Jo Eamey said: “Swindon Domestic Abuse Support Service is honoured to have been chosen as a charity partner by Zurich staff in Swindon.

“The support that Zurich Community Trust are offering is fantastic, giving us not only funding but practical support to help our charity offer the highest quality support to people affected by domestic abuse in Swindon.  We look forward to continuing our relationship in the coming years.”

The insurer has also integrated a charity donation platform, MyImpact, which allows employees to make regular or one-off donations to partner charities.

Each donation will be matched by 100 per cent by Zurich Community Trust. For every 10 hours of volunteering recorded on the platform, employees will receive £100 to donate to their favourite charity partner.

Head of Zurich Community Trust Steve Grimmett added: “The cost-of-living crisis is affecting both households and charitable organisations, with inflation and high energy costs meaning budgets must now stretch further.

“Zurich Community Trust is proud that these donations will help to ease the pressure for charities in Swindon, picked by Zurich’s employees.”