Charity team-up for mortgage lenders

June 2, 2021 by Brendan O'Neill

Lenders

A number of major UK mortgage lenders have joined forces to take part in a charity challenge, with the purpose of raising money for an organisation that supports people suffering from eating disorders.

The group is calling itself the Power of 8, and it is made up of Accord Mortgages, Hinckley & Rugby Building Society, Kensington Mortgages, Foundation Home Loans, Pepper Money, Principality Building Society, Pure Retirement and Mansfield Building Society. The link-up between them was launched during 2020, and staff from each of the lenders recently walked to John O’Groats from Land’s End to raise cash for the eating disorder charity SEED.

Their efforts brought in £1,500 for this organisation, but they are hoping to increase that total to £3,000 by the end of this year. The money will be used to supply eight different schools with educational materials addressing the issues of body image and healthy living.

Beyond its charity work, the Power of 8 was also founded to make it easier for advisors working for the lenders in question to connect with each other and talk about shifts within the intermediary mortgage sector.

Speaking to Financial Reporter, Accord Mortgages’ Corporate Account Manager, Nadine Edwards, said that:

“The response to Power of 8 so far has been phenomenal and we’re absolutely delighted that as a collaboration the events and work we’re doing to support the industry has been so well received, during a year that’s been anything but normal.”

Customers are increasingly looking for signs of social responsibility from lenders and advisors, as well as industry training like the CeMAP qualification.