Charities Receive Much Needed Funds from SEIB Virtual Awards

Equestrian News :: Everything Horse

Two charities shared the top spot in the SEIB Insurance Brokers Giving Virtual Awards held from the 30^th March to 3^rd April 2020. It is hard to believe that following over 36,000 nominations for 1,300 charities, two remained neck and neck and ended on exactly the same number of votes.

Bransby Horses Rescue and Welfare, and Redwings Horse Sanctuary were announced as joint winners and were each granted £15,0000. Winners throughout the week were announced each day via SEIB’s social media page.

Eight other charities reached the final voting stage of the SEIB Charity Awards and shared a further £20,500 from SEIB bet. All had their prizes announced and a video celebrating their brilliant work in the virtual awards.

Full results for the final 10 charities in the 2020 SEIB Giving Virtual Awards

£15,000 – Redwings Horse Sanctuary www.redwings.org.uk.

£15,000 – Bransby Horses Rescue and Welfare www.bransbyhorses.co.uk.

£7,000 – Doris Banham Dog Rescue www.dorisbanhamdogrescue.org.uk.

£5,000 – Gaddesden Place RDA www.gaddesedenplacerda.org.uk

£4,000 – The Horse Trust www.horsetrust.org.uk

£2,000 – Once Upon A Smile www.onceuponasmile.org.uk

£1,000 – Hope Pastures www.hopepastures.org

£1,000 – The Flicka Foundation www.flickafoundation.org.uk

£250 – Hope Rescue www.hoperescue.org.uk

£250 – South Essex Wildlife Hospital www.southessexwildlife.org.

The SEIB Giving Awards were due to be held in London on the 20^th March 2020. When the awards were cancelled due to COVID-19, a quick decision was made by SEIB to go ahead and move them online.

Traditionally, the money awarded would have been to of been used for a specific capital project, however, due to COIVD-19, the money for 2020 has been allowed to be used towards the running costs to help keep the charities afloat.

Lynn Cutress, Redwings’ Chief Executive, said:

We’re delighted to have been awarded £15,000 in the SEIB Giving Awards. As a charity 100% funded by donations from the public, this generous grant will go a long way towards caring for our 1,500 horses, ponies, donkeys and mules. This news is also a very welcome boost for our teams right now who are working hard in challenging times to ensure our rescued residents still receive all the specialist care they need, so thank you to everyone who supported our application.

Sally Crawford, Bransby Horses Executive Director of Engagement and Income Generation, said:

We are absolutely delighted with the incredible £15,000 awarded to us by SEIB Insurance Brokers. Working since the November 2019 floods has been tougher than usual and though the waters have finally subsided, the fallout from this devastation continues. The money we’ve been so kindly awarded will go towards purchasing a Kabota vehicle which we can use at our Barlings site where over 50 horses and ponies have been moved as a result of our Bransby land being ravaged by the floods. Thank you so much SEIB from us all here at Bransby Horses.

The Charities Trust provided SEIB with their help to carry out due diligence ensuring that each of the finalists met all criteria of the grant and are above board.

Giving is embedded in the culture of SEIB. From supporting grassroots competition that gives opportunities to amateur riders that they could only otherwise dream about, right through to the company’s unwavering loyalty to promoting nationwide equine welfare.

The SEIB team does a huge amount for local charities and SEIB has proudly supported the Burghley Sponsored Ride for the past six-years by covering expenses so all proceeds go to charity, it has raised over £250,000 during its history.