The first Day of Giving in 2018 raised enough funding for a study into a new cure at the Dementia Research Institute
12 insurance firms have already committed to support the 2019 day
The Insurance Day of Giving will take place on Thursday 7 November 2019
The insurance industry is joining together once again to take action against dementia. Firms are uniting together with Alzheimer’s Society for the Insurance Day of Giving, which takes place on Thursday 7 November 2019.
The Day of Giving is one day for the insurance industry to come together with a common goal – accelerating dementia research. Firms will host their own fundraising events and activities, with all the fundraising totals coming together to create a huge impact for the future of dementia research.
Already, 12 firms have signed up to support the initiative, including Aon, Aviva, The CII, Covéa, Crawford & Company, QBE Business Insurance, PIB Group, QuestGates, ReAssure, THB UK, Touchstone Underwriting and Willis Towers Watson.
Last year, the inaugural Day of Giving raised £70,000 thanks to activities from bake sales, raffles, and dress down days to job swap initiatives.
Willis Towers Watson’s Senior GB leaders embraced the challenge for their ‘Back to the Floor’ event. Nicolas Aubert, Marco Boschetti, Paul Morris, Alastair Swift, and Adam Garrard competed against one another for first pick of the jobs available – a stint in the firm’s café, tech bar, fitness suite, and reception.
Nicolas Aubert, Head of Great Britain, Willis Towers Watson, said:
“Dementia is a life changing condition for those affected and their loved ones. I am delighted that colleagues across Willis Towers Watson will once again unite against dementia on the Insurance Day of Giving. Together, we can help to overcome the stigma of dementia and fund vital research into treatment, prevention and cure. I hope to see our colleagues and competitors across the industry uniting with us on this remarkable day.”
Research will beat dementia but we need vital funding to find a cure. The Insurance Day of Giving aims to unite everyone across the sector to raise funds for vital dementia research. Industry-wide support on last year’s Day of Giving meant that in one day, the sector was able to raise enough to fund groundbreaking work at the UK DRI. For example, £70,000 can pay for the sequencing and study of bacterial molecules, uncovering the role they play in dementia, throughout a five-year study at the UK Dementia Research Institute.
It is also an opportunity to increase awareness of dementia, which affects almost half of the 300,000 people working in the industry - either directly or through a loved one. Alzheimer’s Society’s Dementia Friends, the biggest ever social action movement is changing the way we think, act and talk about the condition - – there are now over 2.7 million Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Friends, and over 330 Dementia Friendly Communities taking action to ensure people with dementia can live the life they want in their community.
Last year’s event encouraged people from across the industry to share their personal stories of dementia, including Clare Hatcher, QBE Business Insurance.
Speaking about her personal experience of dementia, Clare said:
“Last year’s Insurance Day of Giving really helped to break down the stigma that still surrounds dementia. My dad was diagnosed with the condition at just 61, and it can be difficult to talk about with colleagues and in the work environment, leaving people to struggle alone unnecessarily, despite the fact that many of us have very similar experiences. The Day of Giving gave us the opportunity to share our stories, and feel wholly supported by our peers, all while raising funds to make a difference to the lives of people affected by dementia. I can’t wait to take part again this November.”
Jeremy Hughes, Chief Executive of Alzheimer’s Society, said:
“In the UK, someone develops dementia every three minutes, yet dementia research still trails far behind other health conditions after decades of underfunding. By signing up to our Insurance United Against Dementia initiative and taking part in the Insurance Day of Giving, the sector is leading the way in funding research and helping people with dementia to live well today.”
All funds raised on the day will support Insurance United Against Dementia (IUAD), a five-year campaign spearheaded by leaders from across the sector, including Chairman Chris Wallace of QBE Business Insurance, Sian Fisher of the Chartered Insurance Institute and Phil Bayles of Aviva. Launched in 2017, IUAD is working in partnership with Alzheimer’s Society to raise £10 million for the UK Dementia Research Institute – a revolutionary approach to research, bringing six world class UK universities and 700 researchers together to find ways to care for, treat, prevent and ultimately cure dementia.
The Insurance Day of Giving will take place on Thursday 7 November. It is easy to get involved by making a personal or company donation, or by running a fundraising event at your office. Competitions will take place throughout the day with prizes to be won, including the social media superhero of the day and best team effort for the most donations made by a company. You can also get involved on social media by tweeting and sharing to help spread the word.