Charities from Bristol and across the UK joined West of England mayor Tim Bowles at Computershare’s South Bristol headquarters to celebrate donations that resulted from the company’s relationship with ShareGift.
Over the last two years £125,000 has been donated to charity owing to the specialist financial services group’s work with its clients and the charity ShareGift.
The company’s Bristol staff has also worked to select the charities to receive the money.
Computershare UK chief executive officer Naz Sarkar said: “I’m delighted that our work with ShareGift has benefited so many good causes in the West of England and beyond, and it’s been great to meet the charities and learn more about how the funding has made a difference.
“This work forms part of Computershare’s determination to do business responsibly both here and around the globe.
“We’re particularly focused on supporting the community in Bristol and the surrounding area as well as allowing our staff to have a say in the charity work we do.”
Mayor Bowles told the reception: “It’s fantastic to see a major local employer like Computershare supporting the wider community in the West of England and beyond, so congratulations to Computershare and ShareGift for this work.
“It’s vital that the business community works with us and continues to make its voice heard as we’re making improvements to infrastructure, transport and our skills base in the region.
“By working together, businesses, universities and the public sector can create the right conditions to boost innovation, improve productivity and boost prosperity for everyone.”
Over the last two years charities have received around £6.5m as a result of ShareGift’s work.
ShareGift CEO Julian Roberts added: “Our relationship with Computershare as a major global registrar is vital to ShareGift’s ability to make a difference and support the work of these fantastic charities, so it’s been great to get together and celebrate their work.
“ShareGift provides a simple and extremely effective way of reducing costs to shareholders as well as providing much-needed funding for good causes, and we’re looking forward to many more years of work with Computershare and the wider industry.”
Earlier, the Mayor and Sarkar had met to discuss Computershare, the West of England and how business and local government can work together on issues such as transport, training and supporting the local community.
When companies undertake corporate actions such as splits, mergers, acquisitions or spinoffs, some shareholders can be left with small numbers of shares that are worth less than the amount it would cost to sell them. They can also be left with small cash residuals which would cost more to process than they are worth.
Computershare, the UK’s leading registrar, works with its clients to offer shareholders the opportunity to transfer shareholdings to ShareGift. ShareGift then collates these shareholdings, selling where practicable, and using the ensuing funds to support a wide range of registered charities in the UK and Ireland.
By working with ShareGift, Computershare and its clients use a simple and extremely effective way of reducing costs to shareholders as well as providing much-needed funding for good causes.
In the West of England area, Above and Beyond, St Peter’s Hospice, Children’s Hospice South West, The Grand Appeal – The Bristol Children’s Hospital Charity, BRI Heart Institute, Bristol and Wales Cat Rescue, Lifeskills Bristol, Quarry Mill, the Wild Goose Café, Chew Valley School Society, Ronald McDonald House Bristol and Holly Hedge Animal Sanctuary have all received donations.
Pictured: West of England Mayor Tim Bowles with charity representatives at Computershare 
