Standard Chartered announced that it has handed over donations worth more than Dhs500,000 to the Al Noor Centre for Children with Special Needs through three separate fund raising initiatives launched by the bank.

Jonathan Morris, CEO, Standard Chartered, UAE recently visited the Al Noor Centre for Children with Special Needs and presented the latest donation of Dhs223,749 to Isphana Al Khatib, Director, of Al Noor Centre. The Bank has a long history of supporting the Al Noor Centre and Bank employees regularly volunteer to support the centre's initiatives and activities.

In 2008, Standard Chartered employees initiated fund raising activity to support the purchase of the Centre's new bus, and, in 2009 Bank employees raised further funds to help cover fees of the children studying at the centre. The latest donation has been used to finance the construction of the Centre's Outdoor Court Area.

Jonathan Morris, CEO, Standard Chartered, UAE, said: "We are delighted to be able to support the Al Noor Centre for Children for Special Needs and to build on our long standing relationship. The Standard Chartered brand is about commitment; we are here for good. This is not about philanthropy but rather it reflects the responsibility which we take upon ourselves as a bank to make a positive contribution to the economies and societies in which we live and work. "

Steve Thompson, Regional Head of Wholesale Banking Operations who has been leading the initiatives for the past six years said: "Al Noor Centre for Children with Special Needs is one of the organizations we have the pleasure of continuously working with and supporting. Over the past six years, we have worked closely with the Al Noor Center to identify their needs and support them in every step along the way and we look forward to continue this cooperation in the future."

Standard Chartered encourages each one of its 2,400 employees in the UAE and 85,000 employees globally to volunteer at various organisations up to three days a year. This comes in line with the Bank's approach to support key social and health causes in the communities in which it operates and is a clear demonstration of the Bank's commitment to its brand promise to be "Here for good".