National Friendly scoops first place in Protection Review Awards

BRISTOL, U.K. - Feb. 18, 2021 - PRLog -- National Friendly (https://nationalfriendly.co.uk/) has scooped first place in Protection Review's "Doing it Better" category.

The Protection Review is the definitive review of the UK's multi-billion pound health and protection insurance industry and its conference and awards is regarded as the 'go to' event for the industry.

The award recognises companies who have shown strong evidence of community initiatives which have made a genuine difference to the lives of vulnerable people in their local community.

National Friendly is a mutual insurer specialising in private healthcare and life cover for the over 50s, including later life options, but also sees its work with the local community as being a big part of its ethos.

Two initiatives in particular caught the judges' eyes. Kurtis Reece, National Friendly's PR and corporate partnerships executive takes up the story, "We won praise for our work in the community in Bristol, working collaboratively with local organisations and charities to make a fundamental difference to local lives."

The judges were very impressed with their sponsorship of The Bristol Hippodrome's Matinee Mingle. This initiative was launched by the theatre in association with Bristol Age UK, to address loneliness in later life at a time where people may become more vulnerable.

The award also recognised National Friendly's fundraising partnership with Southmead Hospital Charity (https://www.southmeadhospitalcharity.org.uk/), the official charity of North Bristol Trust (NBT). National Friendly was able to raise its highest annual amount of £26,500 for NBT's Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) after Louise Webber, a team leader with personal experience of the charity, nominated NICU to be charity of the year in 2019.

The record sum is indicative of National Friendly's growing involvement with others in the local community to make great things happen.

Ben Phillips, Theatre Director at The Bristol Hippodrome, "We are delighted that National Friendly's sponsorship of our Matinee Mingle has been recognised by the wider business community.

Alongside the sponsorship it is no surprise to hear of the record amount raised for Southmead Hospital Charity and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at North Bristol Trust and we give gratitude to the generosity of our theatre customers.

Adrian Brown, Fundraising Manager at Southmead Hospital Charity, added "We are over the moon that National Friendly has received some much-deserved recognition for their contribution to the local community. From young to old, National Friendly has given so much support to the people of Bristol.

Kurtis ends, "The support we are able to give back to our community results from the countless individual fundraising acts that our staff in Bristol throw themselves into. I continue to work closely with our corporate partners to develop our community initiatives throughout 2021 and I am delighted that National Friendly's efforts has now been recognised.

Our company is relatively small but its collective heart is big."