YORK Chartered Financial Planning firm PenLife Associates has donated £5,426 to local charity The Island, which helps children and young people.

Nigel Poulton, CEO, The Island, said to PenLife: “Your amazing generosity ensures that over 500 weekly mentoring sessions with our volunteers, provide the guidance, inspiration to help build their confidence, resilience and self-esteem.

"Thank you to everyone at PenLife for your support to making a meaningful difference to so many as they make the transition through childhood and adolescence.”

Since 2019, PenLife have focussed fundraising efforts on one charity each year, including Dementia Forward, York Mind, SASH, York Against Cancer, and the Stroke Association. PenLife’s charity for 2024 is Menfulness.

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Matty Lewis, Trustee at Menfulness, said: "Since PenLife Associates got in touch to tell us we were their 2024 charity of the year, they’ve been an absolute pleasure to work with. It’s clear that they prioritise social responsibility and this is incredible.

"We are technically a small local charity to York - so while making a big impact - we are stunned that PenLife would choose us to fundraise for.

"Run by five voluntary Trustees, it’s hard to find the time to apply for vital funds and fundraise, so this will be an incredible boost financially which will contribute to ensuring we can continue delivering proactive events and life changing counselling.

"We would like to pass our thanks to PenLife in advance of what will be an amazing partnership this year!”

Menfulness brings men together to socialise, exercise and enjoy themselves whilst sharing their experiences in a supportive environment to improves mental and physical health. Donations help Menfulness continue their work and fund the men’s counselling, spreading the message to more men.

Everyone at PenLife says it is deeply committed to giving back. The team carefully select charities based in the York area doing vital work and national organisations that mean something to them and their clients.

This year PenLife has raised funds for Menfulness through a charity golf day, an in-house charity snack box, and several lunch clubs, raising almost £4,000 to date. The team has planned other activities including the York Half Marathon, a quiz, cake bake sale and selling paninis.