Supporting The Cambridge Pledge to tackle inequality and housing issues

We've pledged support to The Cambridge Pledge to encourage more businesses and philanthropists to join up and tackle inequality and housing issues across Cambridgeshire. 

Having already invested £1m in Greater Cambridge Impact (GCI) as part of our 175th anniversary year, we're now supporting GCI’s sister organisation – The Cambridge Pledge – to enable it to lay on a series of events to bring together civic leaders, businesses and individuals to discuss how to improve the lives of residents.  

The Cambridge Pledge is working with Greater Cambridge Impact to take a coordinated approach to unlocking impact and inclusion in the region – and delivering lasting, measurable change in areas including homelessness and children in care. 

Carole Charter, Chief Commercial Officer at The Cambridge, said: 

“Greater Cambridge Impact is exactly the kind of ambitious, collaborative initiative that The Cambridge wants to stand behind. We have an explicit social purpose to help people have a home, and we know that tackling inequality takes more than short-term funding – it takes trusted partners, capital and a commitment to long-term change. 

“By supporting this series of networking and fundraising events, we want to help GCI reach more of the people and businesses who can play a part in building a fairer, more resilient Cambridge. Our hope is that others will be inspired to invest, donate and collaborate so that more of the city’s success can be channelled into practical solutions to help the people who need it most.” 

We committed £1 million to Greater Cambridge Impact as part of our 175th anniversary year and our long-standing social purpose to help people have a home.  

This additional donation will support a programme of events that will raise awareness of The Cambridge Pledge, broaden its network of supporters and encourage further investment from organisations and individuals who want to help deliver long-lasting change. 

Sara Allen, Executive Director of Greater Cambridge Impact and The Cambridge Pledge, said: 

"I’m so grateful to The Cambridge for continuing to back our vision – they are a shining example of what long-term collaborative partnerships can unlock.  

“By sponsoring these events, they are making it possible for us to widen the conversation, bringing in other businesses, and philanthropists and individuals, who have a real stake in Cambridge’s future and in demonstrating that we are an exemplar of ‘good growth’.  

“Imagine what we can achieve if we all worked together.” 

GCI is a ten-year impact investment vehicle focused on improving the lives of people facing the greatest disadvantage across Greater Cambridge, including people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, families experiencing poverty and crisis, care-experienced young people and disadvantaged children and young people.  

The Cambridge Pledge is a charity uniting philanthropists, founders, businesses, institutions, and residents to strengthen opportunity and resilience across our community. You can participate in different ways: 

Investing - providing equity capital 

Lending - providing repayable capital 

Giving - making a philanthropic contribution 

And if you’re not yet able to do that, you can make a pledge to support in the future.  

Visit www.cambridge-pledge.org for more information. 

Pictured: Peter Burrows, chief executive of The Cambridge, announced a £1m investment in Greater Cambridge Impact at the society’s Institutional Innovation Event last winter, as the mutual marked 175 years of innovation.