Date published: 11 June 2020 by Claire Coussins
This week, Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) hosted its first ever virtual edition of their annual RBC Trade for the Kids @Home event, donating over $4 million to more than 45 youth-focused charities around the globe.
This is the first time that RBC Capital Markets have hosted their annual event virtually.
In London, where RBC Trade for the Kids celebrated its fourth year, Rainbow Trust-supported families and staff helped bring the event to life as part of a series of creative videos shared with employees in the UK and eight other countries.
Along with Rainbow Trust, five other leading youth charities also took part, including Great Ormond Street Hospital Children’s Charity, Ronald McDonald House Charities, Teenage Cancer Trust, Demelza Hospice Care for Children and Noah’s Ark Children’s Hospice.
Mike Bowick, Head of Global Markets and President, RBC Capital Markets, said:
“As one of the largest banks globally, it’s very important for RBC to demonstrate our unwavering commitment to helping our communities heal and grow stronger. Through RBC Trade for the Kids, our employees and clients have the opportunity to directly engage with our charity partners, and learn of their involvement in our communities and how they can help make a difference. We are thankful for the invaluable work and immeasurable efforts our charity partners continue to put in, especially during this pandemic, and are also thankful to our employees and clients for their tremendous ongoing support.”
Instead of a physical ceremony to announce the total of how much was raised throughout the day, charity CEOs, staff and former patients shared their heart-warming, surprise webcam reactions as the fundraising totals were revealed at the end of the day.
Zillah Bingley, Chief Executive for Rainbow Trust said:
“This is the first time that Rainbow Trust has been chosen as one of the RBC Trade for the Kids charity partners and we are absolutely thrilled and so grateful for this support. It is wonderful to know that everyone at Royal Bank of Canada is so caring and united together through this amazing day to provide much needed support for the most vulnerable in society.
The money raised is going to make an incredible difference, and a donation of US$200,000, at the equivalent of around £162,000, has the potential to support 80 families for a year. We are incredibly grateful – thank you to everyone who was involved in this amazing day.”
Read more about the Royal Bank of Canada Trade for the Kids here. You can also watch Zillah's reaction in the below video from the Royal Bank of Canada: