A LOCAL playgroup is set for some safer play sessions thanks to a cash boost from Pearl.
The Mitchel Troy Playgroup is well on its way to reaching its target of £3,000 to pay for rubber flooring for its playground after receiving a £500 grant from Pearl, the life and pensions arm of Australian financial services giant AMP.
Pearl became involved through Brendon Pardington, an area manager based at its Gloucester branch. Brendon, whose daughter Emily, aged three, attends the playgroup, helps with the group's fundraising.
Brendon applied to the company for the grant under its Employee Community Support Programme.
Under the programme Pearl employees who spend over 80 hours working for a charity or local group are eligible for a grant of up to £500 to meet specific needs. The company also supports employees' fund-raising efforts by matching cash raised, pound for pound, again up to £500.
Brendon was delighted when he found out his application had been successful and Pearl was providing the full grant.
He said: "Pearl's support is fantastic - thanks to Pearl we can now afford to have the play area in time for the new term."
Helen Haynes, Pearl's community affairs manager, said: "The Employee Community Support Programme is a fantastic way of putting something back in to the communities in which Pearl's 7,000 staff and its 3 million customers live and work.