A NORTH-EAST insurance broker has supported a local hospice through one of its toughest years to date by raising more than £6,000 and negotiating a significant settlement on behalf of the charity.

Erimus, which is based in Stockton, pledged to donate £50 for every new client it obtained between July 1 and December 31 last year to Teesside Hospice, with the final total amounting to £6,400.

The firm also helped to negotiate a six-figure settlement for the hospice’s Business Interruption claim.

Through outreach work and its Middlesbrough palliative care centre, Teesside Hospice provides support to those affected by terminal illnesses across the region. The charity, which relies on donations, has suffered great loss since the start of the pandemic with its network of shops closed and fundraising events put on hold.

David Smith, Teesside Hospice chief executive, said: “It’s been a really tough 12 months and our network of shops have lost roughly £550,000 in sales while being closed due to restrictions.

“Both the financial donation and the support we’ve received from Erimus through the settlement process will have a huge benefit, with the funds going towards patient care and associated nursing costs.

“We need to raise £7,000 a day to keep the hospice open and continue providing treatment, so the £6,400 raised is a huge boost as it almost funds a full day for someone in need. When Erimus first launched the pledge, we had no idea it would raise that much, so we were delighted with the final total.”

Paul Davison, Erimus commercial director, said: “It’s always a good feeling when you raise a certain amount for a charity as special as Teesside Hospice, but to learn that that money will go directly towards funding the hospice for a day is indescribable.”

As well as its financial contribution, Erimus has also provided guidance to the hospice as it negotiated a settlement figure through its Business Interruption policy.

To find out more about Teesside Hospice and its work, visit www.teessidehospice.org.