12:07 pm, November 24, 2020
Auto Trader has come out in support of automotive industry charity Ben with a £55,000 donation.
Ben has seen a 50 per cent surge in demand for its services while its income has dropped by £1m, and last week it asked for urgent support.
Auto Trader has made the initial donation of £55,000 to the charity but stresses this is part of a ‘two-year, multi-faceted partnership’.
As well as fundraising, Auto Trader will also help with a career mentoring programme for people across the industry, and volunteers from across the business will provide a range of technical skills and expertise to help Ben deliver its much needed support
Auto Trader’s CEO, Nathan Coe, said: ‘We’re committed to supporting the industry through these incredibly challenging times in all ways that we are able.
‘The effects of Covid have been and continue to be far-reaching in people’s lives at work and at home, and Ben provides much needed support to those who need it the most.
‘By providing not just our financial support but also through our people providing their skills and technical knowledge, we hope to be able to make a real difference to the work that Ben do.’
Matt Wigginton, fundraising director at Ben, said: ‘When we issued our appeal to industry leaders, we had no idea Auto Trader would respond so quickly and with such generosity and enthusiasm.
‘We rely on donations to ensure no one in automotive faces life’s toughest challenges alone, and Auto Trader’s significant donation will mean we can make a positive difference to the lives of even more people in our industry.’
This news follows TrustFord’s donation of £20,000 to Ben to help plug the £1m shortfall.
Chairman and CEO of the dealer group has called on other industry leaders to do the same.
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