Local communities in Bermuda
March Limited – our privately-owned holding company – has been based in Bermuda for over 40 years. The island has a small population so we see the long-term benefits to us all of investing in the health and success of our local communities.
Selected charity partners:
The Family Centre
The Family Centre’s mission is to promote the health of Bermudian families, many of whom are in single-parent homes and face financial challenges, emotional and physical abuse and the influence of gang activity. The Family Centre delivers key services across three areas:
Counselling, triage and family support services.
Youth community and school initiatives – such as the Youth Leadership Academy and a partnership with Beyond Rugby. These programmes aim to tackle the economic and social challenges young people can face, as well as the threat from gang activity.
Training and advocacy to help strengthen government and other agencies to become better equipped to deal with challenging community issues.
Beyond Rugby
Beyond Rugby is a partnership between the Family Centre and the Bermuda Rugby Football Union (the Family Centre acting as the ‘beyond’ in Beyond Rugby). The partnership works across three schools in Bermuda using the core values of rugby to help develop young people, including a focus on education and ensuring the players graduate from high school. Currently, around 90 children are in the programme – typically referred because of challenges in school or family life, and either at risk of or currently engaged in antisocial behaviour. As well as being part of the rugby team and having valuable mentoring from coaches, Beyond Rugby provides a homework academy and family support services through the Family Centre, such as counselling, crisis intervention, parenting classes and introductions to other helping agencies.
Bermuda Football Coaches Association
Football in Bermuda engages a large number of boys and girls from a very broad spectrum of the community, across all ethnicities, social and financial backgrounds. The Bermuda Football Coaches Association focuses on improving the standard of youth football through the education and qualification of coaches to internationally recognised UEFA standards. Everyone involved in youth coaching in Bermuda is now required to have a coaching license – even parent coaches – which has produced more than 100 UEFA-licensed coaches at various levels. Proper coaching results in improved player quality, which in turn enhances education opportunities via scholarships, employment opportunities and broadly creates a professional, positive and nurturing environment.
Friends of Hospice
Friends of Hospice and its network of volunteers supports Agape House, Bermuda’s only hospice, by providing non-medical support to patients and fundraising to assist with the maintenance and upkeep of the building. Together, their mission is to enhance the quality of life for patients and their families, ensuring that patients pass their final days with dignity, peace and personalised care. Friends of Hospice funds a full-time chef, caregiver and family counselling and bereavement service, as well as providing art therapy and a van to take patients on outings. The current building is a 100 year-old home that is no longer fit for purpose, so in 2019 Friends of Hospice launched a USD10 million fundraising campaign to build a new facility. March Group’s donations across 2017 and 2018 provided seed funding for this campaign, and we continue to support the work of the charity and hospice.
WindReach – Therapeutic Riding Programme
WindReach is a four-acre facility that offers therapeutic and educational experiences for people with varying physical and intellectual abilities: from pre-school children through to the elderly. Its programmes support around 200 people every week through a multi-purpose Activity Centre, Petting Zoo, Therapeutic Riding Centre and fully accessible playground. Therapeutic riding programmes are widely recognised around the world for their positive impact on individuals’ cognitive, physical and emotional wellbeing. The impact of therapeutic riding on children and adults with special needs is profound: not only does riding improve physical strength, balance and coordination, it can increase self-esteem, concentration levels, health and social interactions.