Ballet dancers, gold petals and a quarter-billion pounds given to good causes – one of Britain’s most unusual companies marks a major milestone at St Paul’s Cathedral

Dancers from The Royal Ballet School performed beneath cascading gold petals inside St Paul’s Cathedral on 3rd June 2026, as Benefact Group gathered hundreds of staff, charity partners and beneficiaries to mark an extraordinary milestone of £250 million given to good causes since 2014. Each petal symbolised the countless acts of kindness made possible by supporters across the Benefact Group family over the years.

The service, held at St Paul’s Cathedral, a building Benefact Group’s insurance arm, Ecclesiastical Insurance, has protected for 139 years, brought together performers, charity leaders and the people whose lives have been changed by the Group’s giving.

Mark Hews, Group CEO, Benefact Group, said: 

“We gather to celebrate £250 million given to good causes. Yet today is about more than a number: it is about the countless acts of generosity, compassion and service made possible by Benefact’s reason for being. Our purpose is to give all we can, to as many as we can.”

Benefact Group is one of Britain’s most unusual companies: a specialist financial services group, comprising over 40 businesses spanning insurance, asset management and broking, which is owned entirely by a charity. Rather than returning profits to shareholders, every available penny is donated to good causes – more than 10,000 charities supported to date. Members of the public play a vital role in this giving, with people across the UK invited to nominate charities close to their hearts to receive support.

Staff from across the Group were invited to attend the service in London, with transport provided – a gesture that brought colleagues from around the UK to share the moment together. Hundreds of charity beneficiaries also attended, many hearing their own stories reflected in the testimonies delivered from the cathedral’s pulpit.

The service featured a performance by Vicky McClure’s Our Dementia Choir, whose members are living with dementia. Acclaimed actress and Line of Duty star Vicky McClure founded the choir in Nottingham in 2018 after research showed that music can make a measurable positive difference to people living with the condition. The choir performed alongside West End star Craig Mather, with British designer Paul Smith kindly donating accessories for the choir to wear on the day.

Broadcaster and Royal Ballet School Chair Natasha Kaplinsky OBE read a poem about kindness before dancers from The Royal Ballet School performed a piece choreographed by a fellow student. JLS singer, children’s author and TV presenter JB Gill, a committed supporter of life-saving charity Mercy Ships, gave a reading.

Benefact Group has announced donations to support Our Dementia Choir, Mercy Ships and The Royal Ballet School’s Centenary Fund as part of the occasion.

Mark Hews, Group CEO, Benefact Group, said: 

“In a world that feels increasingly uncertain and divided, our purpose matters more than ever. The world needs action – not tomorrow, but now.” 

The company traces its roots to 1887, when church founders created Ecclesiastical Insurance to protect parish churches from fire. Today, Ecclesiastical Insurance is the UK’s leading specialist insurer of historic buildings, protecting most of the country’s Grade I listed properties, including palaces, castles, cathedrals and museums.

***ENDS***

Notes to editors:

For more information about the Service of Celebration visit: www.benefactgroup.com/celebration

Performers at the Service of Celebration included Vicky McClure’s Our Dementia Choir, pre-professional dancers from The Royal Ballet School (introduced by Chair Natasha Kaplinsky OBE), Craig Mather, and JLS singer, children’s author and TV presenter JB Gill.

About Benefact Group:

Benefact Group is a specialist financial services group owned by Benefact Trust, a charity. Since 2014, the Group has given more than £250 million to good causes. The Group comprises over 40 award-winning specialist financial businesses spanning insurance, asset management and advisory and broking services, operating in the UK, Canada, Australia and Ireland. The Directory of Social Change has recognised Benefact Group as the third largest corporate donor to charities in the UK over the last decade.

About Ecclesiastical Insurance:

Founded in 1887, Ecclesiastical Insurance is the UK’s leading specialist insurer of faith buildings and heritage properties. It protects the majority of the UK’s Grade I listed buildings, including St Paul’s Cathedral, which it has insured for 139 years.

About St Paul’s Cathedral: 
Designed by Sir Christopher Wren in the late 17th Century, St Paul’s Cathedral is a vibrant church, a national treasure and a London icon. For over 1,400 years, people have gathered here to worship, to reflect, to listen and to pray. Our vision is simple. To inspire faith, welcome everyone, and be a cathedral for London and the world. From a world-renowned Cathedral, every day we set out to welcome and inspire. We show excellence in liturgy, heritage crafts, conservation, music, a host of human endeavours. Rooted in the Christian faith, we’re shaping a sustainable home for learning, celebration, reflection and worship. Our Cathedral community includes regular worshippers, nearly 220 staff and many generous volunteers who welcome visitors, lead tours, ring our bells, maintain our collections and more. We provide comfort and commemoration through our national services and stand as an enduring symbol of hope – for those of all faiths and none.

For media enquiries, please contact:
Laura Rettie
Group Head of PR
Laura.rettie@benefactgroup.com
07811 112069