SEGRO launches final round of 2020 Centenary Fund to support skills and employability training for people most affected by the COVID-19 pandemic
On target to allocate £1m to community and charity projects in 2020. 2020 funding focused on Covid-response and has reached over 60 organisations and 27,000 people nationwide
SEGRO, a leading owner, manager and developer of warehousing and industrial space, has launched the fourth and final round of funding of its Centenary Fund for 2020.
This year the fund has focused predominantly on supporting existing and new projects which have provided vital support to vulnerable members of the community who have been impacted by coronavirus.
SEGRO’s £10 million Centenary Fund was created to mark the company’s 100-year anniversary, but was launched ahead of schedule in the wake of the pandemic, enabling urgent and immediate support to be given to those most affected in communities in which SEGRO operates.
In the six months since the fund was established, approximately £800,000 has been allocated to over 60 community projects, directly helping around 27,000 people navigate the impact of Covid. The awards have been made over a series of rounds, with the final round set to take the total amount awarded charitable organisations to over £1 million in 2020*.
The first phase of funding in 2020 responded directly to emergency projects to provide basic necessities, such as food, medicines and household essentials, and to support other initiatives which helped to alleviate the impact of the crisis on communities.
This was quickly followed by broadening support for employability and training initiatives to help back into work those people who face barriers to employment or have lost their job because of the pandemic.
The fund also supported community charity partners with whom SEGRO already support to ensure they were able to continue their skills, training and employability programmes which will be so vital to the economic recovery.
The deadline for the fourth round of funding is November 12th. For details please of how to apply, please visit: https://www.segro.com/csr/centenaryfund
SEGRO CEO, David Sleath, said:
“When we decided last year to establish the Centenary Fund in this, our centenary year, we weren’t to know what 2020 had in store. We couldn’t ignore the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on peoples’ lives, so we accelerated the launch of the fund to address the urgent needs in our communities at a time of crisis.
“Many of the areas near where we invest are characterised by high levels of unemployment and social deprivation. We understand the long term need to ensure people from all backgrounds have the skills, training and opportunities to secure meaningful employment which is why the Centenary Fund focusses on supporting organisations who provide the opportunity to help make a positive and significant difference to people’s lives.
“Investing in our communities is part of SEGRO’s DNA which runs throughout our 100-year history, and we will build on this legacy over the next 10 years and beyond with our Centenary Fund.”
The majority of the SEGRO Centenary Fund investment has been administered via partnerships with Community Foundations in London, Berkshire, Coventry, North West Leicestershire, Northamptonshire and Hertfordshire, who have helped identify the charities which can make immediate and meaningful interventions within their communities.
*This figure includes funding for existing charity partners.
ABOUT SEGRO
SEGRO is a UK Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT), and a leading owner, manager and developer of modern warehouses and industrial property. It owns or manages 8.1 million square metres of space (88 million square feet) valued at £13.3 billion serving customers from a wide range of industry sectors. Its properties are located in and around major cities and at key transportation hubs in the UK and in seven other European countries.
For 100 years SEGRO has been creating the space that enables extraordinary things to happen. From modern big box warehouses, used primarily for regional, national and international distribution hubs, to urban warehousing located close to major population centres and business districts, it provides high-quality assets that allow its customers to thrive.