The Beacon Fellowship Charitable Trust, UBS Wealth Management and The Vodafone UK Foundation today announced that they are entering into a philanthropic partnership.
London, 11 July 2005 - UBS Wealth Management, the world's leading manager of private wealth, and The Vodafone UK Foundation, today announced that they are entering into a partnership with the Beacon Fellowship Charitable Trust. Together, they will work with the Beacon Fellowship to support Beacon's aims of promoting charitable giving in the UK.
Beacon's Chairman, Martyn Lewis, said: "We are delighted to be working with UBS and The Vodafone UK Foundation. We will be sharing expertise, ideas and skills to achieve a common goal, which is to encourage philanthropy in the UK and create a greater culture of giving."
Mr Lewis added: "This is a powerful example of how global companies can connect with the community by getting involved with great projects that are happening at grass roots level right across the country. We hope it will be a catalyst for more organisations to get involved in our work and become members of the growing Beacon contributors' club."
Jeremy Palmer, Member of UBS's Group Managing Board, said: "The Beacon Prize has already established a unique position in the UK as a prestigious award for philanthropy. The encouragement of a wider culture of giving is a thoroughly worthwhile goal, and we look forward to supporting Beacon's efforts."
Alan Harper, Chairman of the Trustees of The Vodafone UK Foundation, said: "The UK Foundation is looking forward to supporting Beacon in promoting charitable giving, and in particular to helping the organisation reach out to young philanthropists and to those who contribute to their local communities."
The involvement of UBS and The Vodafone UK Foundation will start at the launch of the Beacon Prize 2005/6. This will take place at the prize-giving ceremony for the previous year's winners on 18th July at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
For further information please contact:
Jennifer Morgan, Bell Pottinger
Tel: 020 7861 8609
jmorgan@bell-pottinger.co.uk
Charles Gorman, UBS Media Relations
Tel: 020 7568 2910
charles.gorman@ubs.com
Ally Stevens, Vodafone UK Media Relations
Tel: 01635 673821
ally.stevens@vodafone.com
Notes to Editors:
The Beacon Fellowship is a charitable organisation set up to encourage individual contributions to charitable and social causes and to celebrate and showcase best practice in giving. Beacon awards annual prizes to individuals who have made exceptional contributions to charitable causes or to organisations that benefit the public.
An overall winner will be selected every year who will be given a cash award of £20,000, invested in an innovative way by the winner in a charity of their choice. Beacon believes that by highlighting the achievements of the prize-winners and showcasing innovation and best practice in philanthropy, others will be inspired and encouraged to make their own contribution.
The objectives of the Beacon Fellowship Charitable Trust are as follows:
- To run nationally recognised prize scheme through which the charity sector can acknowledge and reward exceptional philanthropic acts by individuals (giving of time, leadership, money, skills and ideas)
- To highlight motivating role models and forms of giving to inspire and educate the next generation of donors
- To showcase and implement innovative grant-making techniques through an annual grant by Beacon
- To develop a Fellowship body of prize winners who, as they grow in number, are an active force in the charity sector and help raise general awareness and educate the general public
UBS has a strong commitment to corporate responsibility and operates Community Affairs initiatives worldwide. Through this well-established programme, UBS has a focused commitment to social investment. Many of these initiatives necessitate and encourage a partnership that benefits both sides equally.
UBS, one of the world's leading financial firms, is the largest wealth manager globally, a top tier investment banking and securities firm, a key asset manager and the market leader in Swiss retail and commercial banking.
UBS has over 140 years of experience in managing private wealth and a global reach, with 168 offices around the world. In the UK, UBS Wealth Management has over 200 client advisors based in 9 locations and manages over £13bn of invested assets.
UBS was recently awarded a number of accolades in the 2005 Euromoney Private Banking Awards, including Best Private Bank in the UK, Best Private Bank for High Net Worth, Best Private Bank for Entrepreneurs as well as Best Private Bank in Europe and Best Global Private Bank.
The Vodafone UK Foundation is a registered charity. It is one of 19 local country Foundations funded by The Vodafone Group Foundation and also receives donations from Vodafone UK Limited.
The Vodafone UK Foundation helps 16-25 year olds in the UK to live fuller lives, primarily by increasing their access to information and opportunities and through the use of mobile technology- based solutions where possible. The focus is particularly on those young people at risk of exclusion. It also supports local communities in areas where Vodafone has a significant physical presence and Vodafone employees who are involved in community activities.
Wherever possible The Vodafone UK Foundation provides charity partners with a range of resources in addition to financial support.
The Vodafone UK Foundation was presented with a PerCent standard logo in the 2003/04 Business in the Community Giving List Report. Vodafone Group was ranked 50 in 2005 The Sunday Times/Business in the Community Companies That Count survey.
Further information can be found on www.vodafoneukfoundation.org