Foresters Gear Up for Six Week Campaign Helping Disadvantaged UK Children This Christmas

    BROMLEY, ENGLAND, November 05, 2014 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Foresters - the member focused financial services organisation - are proud to announce their support of the Cash For Kids (CFK) Mission Christmas appeal for the sixth year running, helping make a difference to the lives of disadvantaged children and babies across the UK at Christmas.

From 17th November, the six-week campaign will involve a number of activities to help raise cash, toys and baby gift packs for over a quarter of a million UK children.

The activities will include:

- radio advertisements encouraging members of the public to drop off a new toy or other gift at a collection point near to them;
- staff at the Foresters Head Office wrapping up baby gift packs (containing essential items for a new baby) as well as those for teenagers;
- Foresters members and their families up and down the UK will help wrap baby and teenage gift packs to be distributed to disadvantaged children in their local area;
- events where goody bags are made up for some of the children who are going on special "Flight of Dreams" day trips, where they fly on a plane to meet Santa.

Steve Dilworth, Managing Director Foresters Member Network UK, says: "We are delighted to once again be supporting the Cash For Kids Mission Christmas appeal - it is a truly worthwhile cause that makes such a difference to the lives of children and young people.

"Many of us are unaware that extreme poverty still does exist here in the UK and that there are a huge number of children and young adults who are disabled, disadvantaged or suffering from abuse or neglect.

"Christmas is traditionally meant to be a happy, loving time of year, and the Mission Christmas Appeal makes a real difference to those children who are suffering."

Sally Aitchison, MD of Bauer Radio Cash for Kids, comments:

"Mission Christmas is the jewel in our fundraising crown engaging all our supporters in making a difference to local children at Christmas. We are very proud of our partnership with Foresters which over the course of the last 5 years has helped us grow our appeal by 217% reaching more children than ever before."

In 2013, Foresters helped the Mission Christmas appeal:

- support 278,000 underprivileged children in the UK;
- raise GBP8million in gifts and cash;
- involve over 1,500 Foresters members, who created 4,210 Christmas gift packages that went to children who would have otherwise woken up to nothing on Christmas morning.

Mr. Dilworth adds: "The Mission Christmas appeal is a fantastic time for people to help, whether it is donating a toy or a gift of cash; attending one of our events; or helping wrap presents.

"By helping the charity at grass root levels with logistics and wrapping, right up to radio advertising, we hope to make this Christmas our most successful campaign ever."

To find out more about the campaign, visit http://www.cashforkids.uk.com/foresters/ and listen out for the Foresters radio advertisements starting 17th November.*

*Foresters will be sponsoring the 6 week on-air campaign on the following local radio stations, so tune-in and listen out for messages mentioning Foresters and the Mission Christmas Appeal:

- Forth 2 Edinburgh
- Magic 105.4 FM London
- Magic 1152 Manchester
- Magic 1152 Newcastle
- Magic 1161 Hull
- Magic 1170 Teesside
- Magic 1548 Liverpool
- Magic 828 Leeds
- Magic 999 Preston
- Magic AM Sheffield
- Wave 105 Southampton
- Downtown Belfast

Foresters will also be advertising on national radio station Planet Rock.

ABOUT FORESTERS:
At Foresters we believe in enriching the lives of our members, their families and the communities they live in. We're member-based, family-focused, and community spirited.

Our products benefit both your family and your community. We champion the well-being of families through quality financial products, unique member benefits and inspiring community activities.
We share our financial strength with over one million members across the United Kingdom, Canada and the United States. Throughout our 140-year history, our purpose has been to enrich the lives of members, their families and communities. The priorities remain today and will guide our future.

As an example, our work with Cash for Kids in their 2013 Mission Christmas Appeal helped over 278,000 children to have a better Christmas. The whole campaign raised GBP8m and involved 1,463 Foresters volunteers and is part of Foresters, the international financial services organisation.
Internationally, Foresters has over GBP14bn* funds under management and has been assigned an 'A' excellent rating by A.M. Best.**

Safeguarding our members' interests is at the heart of what we do. Being financially strong and responsive, with sound governance and continuing professional service have always helped us to protect our members' benefits.

*As at 31st December 2013

** An 'A' excellent rating is assigned to companies that have a strong ability to meet their ongoing obligations to policyholders and have, on balance, excellent balance sheet strength, operating performance and business profile when compared to the standards established by A.M. Best Company. In assigning Foresters rating A.M. Best stated that Foresters outlook rating is 'stable', which means it is unlikely to change in the near future, assuming Foresters financial strength is maintained and operations grow. A.M. Best assigns rating from A to F, A being superior and A and A- being excellent ratings. This rating was assigned on 3rd July 2013. Our International Head Office is located at 789 Don Mills Road, Toronto, Canada M3C 1T9.
DAC Ref No. 2013321 FM/CO 01/15

ABOUT CASH FOR KIDS:

Cash for Kids is the cause related marketing arm for the Bauer Media network of local radio stations.

In 2013 Cash for Kids supported over 700,000 sick and underprivileged children in local communities across the UK. Bauer Radio's Cash for Kids raised over GBP13 Million in 2013.
Bauer Radio's Cash for Kids Charity 1122062.

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