Medicash invites applications for £720k charitable fund

Liverpool cash plan provider Medicash has unveiled its plans to donate more than £700,000 to local charities and community groups.

The unprecedented move to give away the full technical account surplus from 2017 was announced at Medicash’s Freedom of the City ceremony last night (October 11).

And, addressing around 150 guests, chief executive Sue Weir revealed that the organisation will hand over its surplus to charity every year from now on.

The event, held in Liverpool Town Hall, saw Medicash officially receive the award from the City in recognition of its long standing contribution to healthcare and commitment to charitable giving since 1871.

Ms Weir made the announcement, saying: “We are extremely proud of being awarded Freedom of the City.

“This comes on the back of achieving our most successful trading results ever in 2017.

“Our commercial success means we’re now excited to be able to support even more organisations performing vital, often lifesaving work across our region who rely entirely on donations for survival.”

The move was kick started on the night with a donation of £50,000 split across 10 local hospices.

Frank Field, the Labour MP for Birkenhead is chair of Medicash.

He has championed Feeding Birkenhead – a project aimed at tackling food poverty which received a donation from Medicash last year.

Addressing guests he said: “There are still parts of our region where hunger and poverty are crippling families.

“In addition to supporting the Feeding Birkenhead initiative, the Medicash charitable trust has already had a significant positive impact on a wide number of organisations doing critical work in our communities. This money will provide a welcome boost to them.”

Charities and community groups based on Merseyside can now apply for a grant from the Medicash charitable trust.

The focus is on those providing services around the health and wellbeing of adults and/or children. Details are available at www.medicash.org/charity

Over the past 10 years Medicash has donated more than £1m to health-related charities.

Those that have benefited recently include Samaritans, the Firefighters Charity and The Children’s Air Ambulance.

Freedom of the City is the highest nomination that can be bestowed on an organisation that has rendered significant and valuable service to the City of Liverpool and its citizens.

Lord Mayor, Cllr Christine Banks, said: “Medicash’s distinguished record of philanthropy and work in healthcare means the organisation is thoroughly deserving of this award.

“Giving away such a large amount of money to local causes is a magnificent gesture and we were delighted to hear this announcement last night.”

Medicash employs more than 80 staff from its head office in Liverpool.

Many local people remember the organisation as ‘Penny in the Pound’ where workers contributed one penny for every pound they earned to help fund local hospitals who relied on funding and donations before the NHS.

Among the guests attending the Freedom of the City ceremony were business and community leaders, as well as representatives from charities from across the region.