Denise Curran, AIB Community €1 Million Fund ambassador, Michelle Emerson, Head of UK Legal and Chair of the UK Charity Forum at AIB and Lisa Toan, Childcare Services Coordinator, Sólas Autism and Additional Needs Charity
AIB’s annual €1 Million Fund to support charitable organisations in communities across Northern Ireland is open for nominations.
The fund, now in its third year, has supported 150 charities across Northern Ireland, Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland.
Charities in Northern Ireland who benefitted from the fund last year include Cruse Bereavement Support, Friends of St. Gerard’s, which caters for pupils with additional needs aged 3-19, and Sólás, an autism and additional needs charity based in Belfast.
The bank is calling on customers, colleagues and the wider public in Northern Ireland to nominate registered charities that connect with causes that matter most to them.
Michelle Emerson, Head of UK Legal and Chair of the UK Charity Forum at AIB said:
“The AIB Community €1 Million Fund is an initiative that is very close to the hearts of our colleagues, customers and communities. So many charities benefited last year, and our hope is that this funding will continue to help make a real difference to those who are working tirelessly for the benefit of their local communities.
“The nomination process is now open and we’re calling on our customers, colleagues and the public in Northern Ireland to get behind this important cause and nominate the charities they wish to see supported by the fund.’’
Speaking about the impact the fund has had on its organisation, Joan Henderson, Managing Director at Sólás autism and additional needs charity said:
“We are so grateful to AIB and to all those who nominated Sólás to receive £15,000 in funding support through the 2023 nominations process. The fund has allowed us to purchase a sensory room and transform a previously disused space into an invaluable resource for young people with Autism and Additional Needs in Northern Ireland.
“Our mission is to deliver interactive, practical support for young people aged 2-18+ and to support their families through the services we provide. The AIB funding has expedited a much-needed resource for our organisation, providing a safe and calming space on-premises. I’d highly recommend the process to other charities and organisations as it was very straightforward and stress-free.”
The 2024 fund will be distributed following an online nomination process, one for customers and the public and one for our AIB colleagues. The UK fund will be split across Northern Ireland and Great Britain.
Entries are now open and will close Wednesday 12th June 2024,