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

2019: Dementia Forward

£10,480

2020: York Mind

2020: York Mind

£3,000

2021: SASH

2021: SASH

£6,173

2022: York Against Cancer

2022: York Against Cancer

£3,003

2022: Stroke Association

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.

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.

Marine Conservation Society

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.

Poppleton Art Exhibition

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.

It’s all about developing relationships

We’re here to be your trusted adviser and guide. We’d love to arrange a no-obligation chat with you, over the phone or over a coffee.

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