Engage Launch Fun Website With Plans To 'Start Them Young'

KS1 pupils from New Park School in Harrogate today played their part in a national initiative to raise the awareness of the importance of saving, when they helped engage Mutual launch a new, interactive website, www.funtosave.org.

The website seeks to promote a better understanding of money and introduce the concept of saving among four to seven year olds across the UK. Designed by educational specialists and the UK's Association of Mutual Insurers (AMI), it combines a range of educational games, co-ordinated lesson plans for teachers developed in line with the national curriculum, and accompanying activities that can be enjoyed at home with parents/carers. It is the only web resource currently available which takes such an integrated approach to learning about money, and the combined approach of classroom and home learning make it particularly unique.

Tina Clare, head of brand at engage, the Harrogate-based mutual charged with raising awareness of the website across the Yorkshire and Humberside region for AMI, stated:

"When it comes to saving, it's never too early to learn the basics. Young people are our next generation and it is vital that they develop positive and sensible attitudes towards money and saving. www.funtosave.org engages children in a fun and interesting way, whilst teaching one of the valuable lessons of life. We are thrilled to have the opportunity to work again with children and staff at New Park, this time on a national financial education initiative."

The fun website specifically targets the nation's four to seven year olds, when attitudes to money are forming, and meets an acknowledged gap in the country's financial capability strategy. It provides vital supporting resources for parents and for the country's 14,000 primary schools.

Head at New Park School, Jane Plummer added:

"As a busy school we really appreciate having access to funtosave.org and its accompanying free resources. It provides a great opportunity for the work we do in school to be reinforced outside of the classroom. By working together, teachers and parents will be able to better equip children with some of the life skills they need to make informed decisions and choices."

Engage will be involved in an ongoing programme to raise awareness of the website as a resource for schools and parents/carers across Yorkshire and Humberside.

Further information from:
Kathryn McLaughlin
Engage Mutual Assurance
Tel: 01423 855245

NOTES:

- engage Mutual is based in Harrogate and is a member of the Association of Mutual Insurers (AMI), which represents 98% of mutual insurers in the UK. AMI has 38 member organisations which represent 19 million policyholders and GBP84bn in policies. Mutual insurers currently provide 1.9 million of the child trust funds in the UK, see www.mutualinsurers.org - engage Mutual Assurance is a trading name of Homeowners Friendly Society Ltd (HFSL), Registered and incorporated under the Friendly Societies Act 1992, Registered number 964F and its wholly-owned subsidiaries, engage Mutual Funds Limited (eMFL) and engage Mutual Insurance Ltd (eMIL). Both HFSL and eMFL are authorised and regulated by the Financial Services Authority (FSA). HFSL's Register number is 110072, eMFL's Register number is 181487. eMIL is authorised to conduct general insurance business by the Financial Services Commission Gibraltar and is regulated by the Financial Services Authority for the conduct of UK business. eMIL's FSA Register No is 485680. You can check this on the FSA's Register by visiting the FSA website or by contacting the FSA on 0845 606 1234.

- engage is one of the larger UK mutuals providing simple, value for money savings, protection and investment products. It currently helps over 420,000 customers of all ages to protect, preserve or enhance their welfare, with some of the most straightforward products on the market. Engage prides itself on being a family-oriented, modern mutual, providing products that help enable households of all kinds to plan their finances to help meet their future needs.

- engage supports mutuality, friendly societies and the regional financial services industry through links with the Association of Mutual Insurers, the Association of Friendly Societies, Mutuo and Leeds Financial Services Initiative.

- engage Mutual Funds Limited (EMFL) is a provider of the Child Trust Fund direct and in partnership with organisations including Yorkshire Building Society and Scarborough Building Society.

- engage Mutual has been the title sponsor of the Rugby Super League since 2005 and has extended its agreement to 2010.

engage Mutual announced its entry into the health cash plan market in July 2008 following an agreement of partnership with Wakefield & District Hospital's Contributory Scheme (WDHCS). Further to this, 30,000 health cash plan customers transferred from Premier Health Benefits (part of WDHCS) to engage Mutual Insurance Ltd.