Investment platforms have rallied behind a rock concert set to go ahead next week in aid of Ukrainian refugees.
Nucleus, Novia, Morningstar, M&G Wealth, Quilter, and Transact have all sponsored the event, alongside consultancy the Lang Cat and technology provider Threesixty.
Nucleus will be the headline sponsor, while Novia has sponsored the band, and Morningstar the venue - Stationers Hall in London.
The gig has been spearheaded by three financial planners - Navigator Financial Planning managing director David Crozier, as well as Perceptive Planning managing directors Shannon Currie and Phil Billingham.
Back in March, Billingham and Currie raised £4,500, with the help of fellow planners and advisers, which they used to pack a rental van and drive supplies to Poland - one of a number of countries many Ukrainian refugees now reside.
But by July, the couple, along with Crozier, had realised Moldova - a relatively small country with 2.6mn inhabitants and which shares a 759 mile long border with Ukraine - was going under the radar.
This led the planners to discover the Dignity Centre, which was set up by charity Refugees Support to help with the sudden arrival of Ukrainian refugees in Moldova.
The project focuses on providing necessities, feeding about 1,100 people a week.
Volunteers have helped refugees from start to finish, right from counselling at the border to providing classes in an effort to introduce some normality back into refugees’ lives.
Crozier, Billingham and Currie began their support for the charity by buying a new van last year. Previously, the charity had rented a car which was putting a drain on resources.
Then in November, the three planners persuaded the Personal Finance Society to choose Refugee Support Europe as its charity of choice at its conference in Birmingham.
With the help of advisers, they raised more than £2,000 at the conference.
Now, Billingham wants to raise £40,000, which would cover the cost of supporting 4,500 refugees in Moldova for a month.
“We are in a privileged position of being able to help. By raising funds for Refugee Support Europe, we can do that,” he said.
“With the generous support of our sponsors and corporate donors, we’re well on our way to that amazing figure. Remember, even if you can’t go to the gig, you can still donate money on the event website.”
Currie added that the planners have been “blown away” by the response they have received from the industry.
“Everyone’s willingness to help with raising funds and volunteering their time to make the event a huge success has been nothing short of overwhelming,” she said.
“This industry is chock full of kind and generous people who genuinely want to help those in need. We’re really looking forward to the night itself and raising even more money.”
The gig will feature the aptly-named band ‘Consumer Duty’, which is made up of Chris Budd, Ian Beestin, Jenny Smyth, Nigel Ross-Scott and Mark Polson.
Lifesearch chair Tom Baigrie has volunteered to raise further funds on the night by auctioning various items donated by firms for the event.
Rock for Ukraine will take place on February 23 at Stationers Hall in London at 7.30pm. You can buy tickets and donate at https://rockukraine.co.uk/.
ruby.hinchliffe@ft.com
