THE boss of a Worcester insurance firm has set up a brand new charity to raise money for children's hospices.

Simon Lancaster, CEO of SJL Insurance, has created the SJL Foundation, which aims to utilise SJL’s network of staff, insurer partners, suppliers and customers; to raise over £100,000 in the first year.

In April 2019, he recruited charity worker and fundraiser, Lucy Ruff to run the foundation.

SJL Insurance is covering all annual running costs of the foundation, including Lucy’s salary and venue hire for events.

This means that 100 per cent of the money that the foundation raises can be donated to good causes.

At the official invitation of Worcester MP Robin Walker, Mr Lancaster and the team are officially launching the foundation in the House of Commons on Tuesday October 22, 2019.

The SJL team has already begun fundraising behind the scenes, and in the last two weeks alone staff have carried out three fundraising events to raise money for the SJL Foundation.

Lucy Ruff, fundraising manager, SJL Foundation, said: "It’s incredibly exciting to have set up the SJL Foundation.

"I’m looking forward to delivering a varied portfolio of events and fundraising activities in support of our amazing charity partners, including Acorns Children’s Hospice.

"We have set ourselves an ambitious target but I’m confident that with the support of our colleagues, clients and suppliers at SJL Insurance that we will hit it."

Mel Hall, area fundraiser for Acorns Children’s Hospice said: "We are thrilled to have been chosen as one of the SJL Foundation’s charity partners for the next two years.

"We simply would not be here as a charity without the support of businesses like SJL and the community."

Mr Lancaster said: "I am incredibly excited about what the SJL Foundation can achieve. As soon as we met with Mel Hall, we knew we had to support her, and the fact she’s given us the opportunity to do so is incredibly humbling.

"We toured the Acorns hospice in Worcester and what the team do there is nothing short of inspirational.

"We will do our best to help."