Community
As a team we are passionate about giving back to our local community and supporting charities that are close to our hearts.
CHARITY
Since 2019, we decided to concentrate our efforts supporting one charity per year in the hope that our collective fundraising efforts would make more of a difference.
The team have undertaken many exciting and sometimes scary challenges to raise funds including a Skydive, Tough Mudder, Great North Run and the Yorkshire Three Peaks. We’ve also created our own charity snack box, Christmas Jumper Day, Charity Dress Down Days and Spud Lunch Club to raise even more!
What our clients say
"I have found my adviser warm, approachable, knowledgeable and accommodating. I know that I can contact her with any enquiries and they will be dealt with promptly and efficiently. "
"If you want to feel totally confident and secure in the knowledge that your personal finances are in expert hands, look no further. We know from our own experiences over 35 years that PenLife are outstanding in all respects."
"Thank you for all the advice you gave me. It came just at the right time. Everything is in place and the whole family is financially sound and settled. This couldn't have happened without your very well-timed intervention. I can't thank you enough."
"Very happy with the service I have received. I have already recommended PenLife to friends and family."
"Everyone I have dealt with has always been really helpful and answered any questions I have had in a timely manner. I have already recommended you to friends and colleagues, so hopefully they will be in touch. Many thanks for all your help."
"Everyone has been so friendly. Thank you."
"I've already recommend PenLife to a friend."
"I have been extremely impressed with how PenLife have been so easy to deal with. They have explained everything in a very uncomplicated way so that I can maximise my investments for the future."
"PenLife have a friendly, professional approach with no jargon. Everything is explained in plain English!"
"Everyone was so pleasant and friendly when you entered the office reception. We felt we were real people and not just numbers. Thank you to all."
Here’s what we have raised to date:
2019: Dementia Forward
£10,480
2020: York Mind
£3,000
2021: SASH
£6,173
2022: York Against Cancer
£3,003
2022: Stroke Association
£6,003
2023: The Island
The Island is a registered charity that provides mentoring programmes for York children and young people experiencing challenges with their mental, emotional and social wellbeing.
Through recreational activity, The Island’s fully trained volunteer mentors look to work with the referred children and young people to help raise their confidence, self-esteem and resilience levels so that they can take positive steps forward.
Sometimes, children and young do require additional support which is why The Island is also home to a foodbank, counselling and tutoring program. These additional services enable The Island to achieve their goal which is to help children and young people to thrive.
SPONSORSHIP
We sponsor local grassroots sporting clubs providing them with extra funds to purchase kits:
Heworth ARLFC 1ST Team
The Heworth Amateur Rugby League Club runs various teams from under 7s to 18s, two Open Age teams and a Little Heroes team for children aged 3 to 6 years.
We are very proud that Adam Dent, one of our Financial Planners, who plays for the Open Age First Team, was voted Coaches Player of The Year 2021!
Bishopthorpe White Rose Junior Football Club Under 12s
Bishopthorpe White Rose Junior Football Club is a local football team welcoming boys and girls, aged from 5 to 16. As a Community Amateur Sports Club, the club relies on donations to be able to provide safe and inclusive football opportunities for the local community.
Craig Forsyth - Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge
And we sponsor those who test themselves to the limits to raise funds for worthy causes – taking on the challenge of crossing an ocean in a rowing boat. Craig Forsyth, from York, completed the Talisker Whisky Atlantic Challenge; a 3000 mile row across the Atlantic Ocean from the Canary Islands, Spain to Antigua & Barbuda. Whilst this race can be completed as a team, Craig decided to row solo and completed it in 73 days. His adventure raised much needed support and awareness for two charities: Sporting Chance and motor neurone disease.
The Millie Wright Children's Charity
We are sponsoring The Millie Wright Children’s Charity’s ‘Supper Saturdays’. Recognising that parents/carers on Ward L50, who are likely to be at their child’s bedside for weeks and months at a time, do not have any meals provided whilst on the ward. The result is that they often miss meals, eat poorly, face limited choices and incur additional costs morning, noon and night. It’s really important that parents/carers remain strong to be able to support their child and get through a very challenging time. Looking after themselves becomes secondary to the needs of their critically ill child and whilst the nursing staff do an absolutely fantastic job all-round, they are cruelly constrained by time, funding and resources so external charitable support becomes invaluable in taking care of the families. So, because of this, PenLife are paying for Pizzas every Saturday from August 2022 until the end of the year. This will provide hot meals for up to 10-12 families on a Saturday night in the hospital.
Tang Hall Big Local
In December 2012, Tang Hall was selected to be part of a very special Lottery funded program, 150 areas in England were chosen to allow residents to decide for themselves how to spend their money – often called Participatory Budgeting or Community Lead Local Development (CLLD). Some of their goals include: Make a real difference in the locals’ lives, increasing locals’ skills and confidence to meet future challenges, making the area a better place to live and more.
PenLife have donated to Tang Hall Big Local to help fund for food for the young children in Tang Hall who enjoy the activities that are organised by the charity. Some of these children come from challenging backgrounds, so it’s great to help wherever we can.
SUPPORTING LOCAL SCHOOLS AND UNIVERSITIES
Providing opportunities in industry is extremely important to PenLife. We offer work experience placements for GCSE and A Level students, and we welcome university students who are looking to complete ‘A Year In Industry’ placement – giving a real hands-on opportunity to work in financial services.
“I am an Accounting, Business Finance and Management student at the University of York doing my Year in Industry placement at PenLife. I didn’t know what to expect at the beginning of my placement as I had no previous experience in the financial industry or even working in an office environment. Working at PenLife has exceeded all my expectations of what a year in industry would be like. From the beginning I felt welcomed into the team. I am continually offered new opportunities to learn and expand on my skillset. I hope to take some of the skills I have developed such as time-management into my final year of study and beyond that once I enter the workplace.”
Tom Dunn, Work Placement Student
“I’d just like to say that I am so grateful that you’ve let me come and do work experience at PenLife! I have learnt how to do some admin work and how Excel works and I’ve learnt about different types of meetings and what ‘Rocks’ are. I think this experience has been so fun and really educational. I want to say thank you so much for being so welcoming and kind. I have enjoyed doing the work and getting to know everyone. I am sure I will be back someday whether it’s for more work experience during the holidays or possibly an apprenticeship!”
Leah Z, Work Experience Student
ENVIRONMENTAL SUPPPORT
The Marine Conservation Society is a charity who is fighting for a cleaner, better-protected, healthier ocean. As part of their work, they organise a series of beach cleans up and down the country. So the PenLife team headed to Scarborough and joined a team of litter pickers. As well as cleaning up the beach, every single item found in a 100m stretch of beach was recorded. This data is hugely important as it helps the charity track litter back to source and enables them to campaign for change.
THE ARTS
Every August Bank Holiday weekend, artists from Upper and Nether Poppleton, near York exhibit their work in the beautiful surroundings of the historic Tithe Barn in Church Lane, Nether Poppleton. PenLife give their support to the local artists by sponsoring the exhibition. Around 250 paintings by over 25 artists are exhibited, together with cards and unframed paintings for sale.
Humanitarian Support
Ukraine
The conflict in Ukraine has forced many families to flee their homes. People have left behind jobs, belongings and loved ones. DEC charities are working in Ukraine and in neighbouring countries, meeting the immediate needs of refugees and displaced people by providing food, water, health assistance, protection and trauma care. PenLife has made a donation to the DEC Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal.
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