Investing in education and development projects around the world is another visible way we give back to our communities. In India, we work closely with an NGO, the Arpana Trust, to help families camped in the resettlement area of Molarbund, New Delhi. Parents could not afford to send their children to school, so facilities were set up to give children aged under five an education and a free midday meal.

Elsewhere, Morley raised more than £13,000 for Hope and Homes for Children, a charity working with orphaned, abandoned and vulnerable children in Eastern Europe and Africa, while the OPEN Road project in Norwich, supported by RAC and British School Motoring, educates young people about road safety, motoring and mechanics. In Ireland, Hibernian has donated 10,000 euro's towards an on-site day care centre for the elderly.

In India, Aviva Global Services sponsors eleven centres that provide English and maths education to young people as well as supporting them to build their self esteem and make the transition to adulthood. The first of its kind in the Chinese insurance industry, Aviva Cofco is funding a teaching award, university scholarships and educational assistance for economically disadvantaged children. Meanwhile in Singapore, Aviva sponsors food parcels for children in families that struggle to make ends meet.

Aviva Spain bancassurance unit Aseval ran a campaign encouraging its pension customers to donate to a Unicef programme. Combined with a financial contribution from Aseval, the donations resulted in some 350,000 children receiving vaccinations. The Delta Lloyd Group Foundation supports financial education for young people, through both funding and volunteering. The projects supported by the Foundation include an educational package to teach schoolchildren how to manage their finances and a project for giving work experience to young people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

Case study

Big smiles, warm clothing

Aviva USA volunteers donated coats, boots, gloves and hats to underprivileged students at McKinley Elementary School in Des Moines as part of the annual ‘Coats and Boots’ programme, funded by the Aviva Charitable Foundation. Many of the students are from low-income households who come from warmer climates such as South America and South Africa.

“The gift of winter coats and boots to our children helped to complete their needs and extended the spirit of giving to families who otherwise would have felt less cheerful.”

Dr Lorenzo Jasso principal, McKinley Elementary School

Case study

First class

Aviva Global Services (AGS) supports several charities in India and Sri Lanka, including a longterm partnership with Akanksha Foundation, an NGO that helps less-privileged children to improve their lives through education. In August, the first of four ‘Aviva Akanksha’ schools opened in Pune, India. AGS also sponsored a sports day for 750 children from nine Akanksha centres, with 20 volunteers helping on the day.