Phoenix Group, the UK’s largest long-term savings and retirement business, is proud to be funding NSPCC’s Childline service for four ‘Unforgettable Days’, spanning across World Mental Health Day (8, 9, 10, and 11th October).

NSPCC reports that every 25 seconds a child contacts Childline for help. The service delivered more than 73,000 counselling sessions about mental health and emotional health in 2020/21, with children reaching out for help with issues including loneliness and low self-esteem. Mental health remains the top reason young people get in touch with Childline, making up over a third of all counselling sessions delivered.

Mental health and wellbeing is important to colleagues at Phoenix Group too, who earlier this year voted for a two-year partnership with Samaritans, the charity that is always there to help anyone who is struggling to cope, awareness has been raised amongst colleagues while promoting awareness of mental health. Phoenix Group looks to address key societal issues and ensure that the services needed by so many people, no matter what their age, can continue to operate. By supporting NSPCC’s Unforgettable Days, Phoenix is making sure young people can access the help they need.

Andy Moss, Phoenix Life CEO and Group Director, Heritage at Phoenix Group said:

“With World Mental Health Day coming up on Sunday 10th October, we are once again reminded of the importance of good mental health and well-being. We are also reminded that people of all ages can struggle to cope, which is why we wanted to fund the NSPCC’s Childline service for four days. Phoenix Group’s purpose is to help everyone secure a life of possibilities and we’re proud to support the vital work NSPCC and our charity partner Samaritans do to help those most in need, while promoting awareness of mental health amongst our colleagues and in our local communities. We are very pleased to be funding the NSPCC’s Childline service and will continue to learn more about the challenges people of all ages face.”

Phoenix Group is committed to helping colleagues feel fit and well, inside and outside of work. In support of mental health, Phoenix colleagues have access to a network of 40 trained mental health first aiders. Phoenix also has an active employee mental health network, ‘Mind Matters’ which is open to all colleagues and collectively promotes the tools and resources available to support colleagues in need, encouraging positive mental health for all. Phoenix Group aims to raise awareness and promote understanding of mental health whilst working towards removing any stigma surrounding it.

Phoenix is planning to hold a virtual Childline visit with colleagues. This will be hosted by a volunteer counsellor and a Childline Supervisor. It will allow NSPCC to give a personalised insight into why and how our chosen days have been unforgettable for the young people who have contacted Childline. There will be a virtual tour of their London base, so Phoenix’s colleagues can see what it’s like in the counselling room. Phoenix Group will also have the opportunity to ask questions understand more about Childline’s work.

Following the four Unforgettable Days, Phoenix will be looking at how many contacts were made, what themes came up throughout the days and some anonymised case studies. By gaining a deeper understanding, Phoenix Group hopes to be in an even better informed position to tackle key societal issues and help to secure a life of possibilities for everyone.

Shaun Friel, Director of Childline, said:

“We rely on fundraising and donations to ensure we can continue to be there for children and young people – so we are hugely grateful to Phoenix Group for their fantastic support.

“It’s been an incredibly difficult couple of years for young people, and Childline has never been more important in providing a listening ear and a place they can turn to.

“By funding Childline for four Unforgettable Days, Phoenix Group are helping us to continue this vital work.”

-Ends-

Enquiries

Sarah Muir
Lansons
sarahm@lansons.com

Oshin Sharma
Lansons
oshins@lansons.com

Rachel Esland
Phoenix Group
rachel_esland@standardlife.com

Notes to editors

About Phoenix Group

We are the UK’s largest long-term savings and retirement business, with £300 billion of assets under administration and c.13 million customers.

We are a growing and sustainable business with a clear purpose – helping people secure a life of possibilities. This means taking responsible and sustainable investment decisions, and using our presence and voice to advocate on behalf of the UK’s savers. We understand that our scale and expertise means that we have an important role to play for our customers, colleagues and our communities.

As life expectancy continues to increase and the pension landscape continues to shift, we will continue to be a safe and dependable ally in the journey to and through retirement for millions of customers, by providing the right guidance and products, at the right time, to support the right choices. We offer a broad range of products for people across all stages of the savings life cycle.

Our strategy focuses on delivering long term, sustainable value and, to fulfil our purpose, focuses on five key areas to ensure we respond to changing customer needs, manage our capital position well, create value, inspire our people, and put sustainability at the heart of our business.

Phoenix is a FTSE 100 company and we feature in the FTSE 100 ESG Select Index. In 2020 we committed to our operations being net zero carbon by 2025 and our investment portfolios by 2050. We are playing an active role in helping to build back better and greener as we invest for the future. We are a Living Wage Employer and recognised as a Carer Positive Exemplary for offering the best support to colleagues who are carers.