A COLCHESTER insurance broker is marking the fifth anniversary of its charity.

Towergate Insurance, based in Middleborough, set up the Towergate Charitable Foundation in 2008 and has raised more than £6.2million for a number of UK charities.

Using the money, the insurer has donated more than £1million to Help the Hospices, while the same amount has been spent on recruiting and training 625 counsellors for ChildLine.

Some £900,000 was also donated to Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital Charity, while £1million was given to Cancer Research UK.

Nel Mooy, of Towergate Insurance in Colchester, said: “I wish to thank my colleagues and our clients for their outstanding contribution to these great charities over the last five years.

“In these tough economic times both our staff and clients have defied the odds by going the extra mile to raise money through a range of local fund raising events.”