Santander has beaten its £3m target raising £3.2m for Age UK and Barnardo’s during their three-year partnership.

Colleagues at Santander contributed over 10,000 hours of support, carrying out fundraising activities for the two charities, including:

• It’s a knockout: A competition which achieved record numbers of staff participation
• International challenge: Events with 120 employees travelling to South Africa, Nepal and Cambodia to help vulnerable communities abroad while fundraising to support those closer to home
• ‘Store Wars’ challenge with Santander employees taking over Age UK and Barnardo’s stores around the country and competing for sales.

Keith Moor, chief marketing officer at Santander UK, said: “I’m extremely proud of our partnership with Age UK and Barnardo’s.

“By working together, we were able to support the communities we live and work in and help some of the UK’s most vulnerable people.”

Santander also funded two strategic programmes: Age UK’s Ambitions for Later Life, which helps over 5,000 older people to better plan for the future, improve their confidence and feel more financially resilient; and Barndardo’s On Track, which helps over 350 young people to overcome significant challenges over one-to-one support.

Javed Kahn, chief executive at Barnardos, said: “Santander has been a fantastic partner. Their staff have thrown themselves into this fundraising partnership and we’re grateful for all their support over the last three years. The money raised is helping Barnardo’s transform the lives of hundreds of thousands of children across the UK.”

Steph Harland, chief executive of Age UK, said: “Over 2.5m older people feel they have no one to turn to for help. Santander’s support has enabled Age UK to be there for thousands of older people facing the most difficult challenges of later life.

“We’ve been able to give friendship, as well as advice and practical help, and for this we’re so grateful to Santander, their staff and customers.”