Fun, festivities and funds being raised for Become at CIBC Miracle Day 2016

Today, celebrity guests, Become staff, young people supported by Become and other charity representatives are joining employees of leading Canadian-based financial institution CIBC (Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce) on their trading floor for CIBC Miracle Day 2016.

All fees and commissions from the day’s trades will go to charities supporting children and young people. Become (formerly The Who Cares? Trust), alongside Winston’s Wish, the charity for bereaved children and Tommy’s, the baby charity, will benefit from a year’s worth of fundraising activities by CIBC employees which are added to the thousands of pounds raised on CIBC Miracle Day. Celebrity guests from the worlds of sport, entertainment and the media will on hand to help drum up trading activity. But Miracle Day isn’t only happening on the trading floor. With a range of fundraising activities taking place throughout CIBC’s offices on Cheapside, London, there will be plenty of chances to raise funds to support Become’s work with children in care and young care leavers.

Young people who have been helped by the charity and a team of Become staff are on scene to get stuck in, help raise funds and tell everyone about the organisation’s work. It’s not the first time this year that young people who have been supported by Become have visited the CIBC offices – and following his first visit, one young care leaver was even given the opportunity to do work experience at the bank. In January, CIBC staff are donating their time to run a workshop for care leavers about financial management and avoiding debt.

Natasha Finlayson, Chief Executive of Become, said:

“At Become, we work with children in care and young care leavers, all of whom have experienced difficult or traumatic times in their lives. Everything we do is about helping build young people’s emotional wellbeing, resilience and aspiration, to help them live powerfully and purposefully – to become the person they are meant to be.

“We’re so pleased to be a part of CIBC Miracle Day this year. The funds raised today – and throughout our partnership with the CIBC Children’s Foundation – will enable us to give more young people intensive, one-to-one support to build lasting relationships and develop their practical skills and self-confidence. We’ll also be able to continue providing advice, information and opportunities to children in care and care leavers across the country.”