30-07-2025
West Lothian kids charity benefit from bumper donation from NFU Mutual
River Kids was nominated by Edinburgh & The Lothians local agency to benefit from the fund, in recognition of the vital work they do to support disadvantaged children across West Lothian.
NFU Mutual Agents and their staff at the Edinburgh & The Lothians agency recently nominated local charity River Kids to receive a donation of £7,899 from NFU Mutual's national £2.33million 'Agency Giving Fund'.
The leading rural insurer launched this fund, now in its sixth year, to help local frontline charities across the country.
The Agency Giving Fund forms part of NFU Mutual's £4m funding pledge for both local and national charities in 2025, to support frontline services in rural communities.
River Kids was nominated by Edinburgh & The Lothians local agency to benefit from the fund, in recognition of the vital work they do to support disadvantaged children across West Lothian.
This donation will help River Kids provide small grants to children identified by West Lothian Council's social and health partnerships - supporting young people affected by domestic or sexual abuse, homelessness, or poverty.
It will allow these children to participate in extra-curricular activities such as gymnastics, football, dance, and Girl Guides, as well as school camps and trips - experiences they would otherwise be unable to afford.
River Kids aims to raise £10,000 this year for these grants, and with the help of the NFU Mutual donation, they are now on track to meet that goal.
Stephen Newman, Charity Manager at River Kids, said: 'We're incredibly thankful to the Edinburgh & The Lothians Agency of NFU Mutual for nominating River Kids to receive this generous donation through the NFU Mutual Agency Giving Fund.
'This support has made a real and lasting difference to the lives of children and families across West Lothian. The funding has enabled us to provide small grants that open up opportunities for young people who are facing extremely challenging circumstances - giving them the chance to take part in activities and experiences that boost their confidence, support their development, and help them feel included.
'We're proud of the impact we've made, and support like this plays a crucial role in helping us continue that work.'
Scott Carruthers, Senior Partner at NFU Mutual Edinburgh & The Lothians Agency, added: 'We're incredibly proud to have nominated River Kids for this donation especially as the nomination came from our own team, who see first-hand the impact the charity has locally.
'We're delighted to support the vital work River Kids does within our community. The aim of NFU Mutual's Agency Giving Fund is to back local frontline charities delivering essential services, and our agency felt River Kids was a truly deserving cause to support.
'NFU Mutual Edinburgh & The Lothians Agency are proud to back a charity making such a meaningful difference in our local community.'
Over the past year, River Kids has supported more than 4,000 children in West Lothian through the provision of essential clothing and furniture, small grant funding for individual needs, Christmas gifts via the West Lothian Toy Appeal and a total of £40,000 awarded to 20 schools for projects supporting children living in poverty.
