Lesley King-Lewis, Director (right)

Lisa Clarke, Grants Manager and Trust Secretary (left)

As the newly appointed Director of the Man Group plc Charitable Trust (the Trust), I am delighted to report on this year's activities. The Group paid $20.6 million to the Trust and charity committees of our overseas offices. $10.1 million was spent on charitable donations during the financial year 2008/9. The Trust is currently holding $8.9 million in reserve to meet current and forward commitments. The Trust accounts for its activities in sterling and is therefore subject to exchange rate fluctuation against the US dollar. In this current economic climate we believe it is prudent to build a strategy based on a consistent level of giving.

A wide range of charities were supported throughout the year covering our key areas: empowering disadvantaged young people through education; the arts; and sport. Charities covering literacy, medical, vulnerable populations and the environment were also funded. We continued to support Merlin, a specialist medical and humanitarian aid agency. This year we funded their emergency responses to the cyclone in Burma, the hurricane in Haiti, the conflict in Georgia and the cholera outbreak in Zimbabwe.

The Trustees have approved a new strategic plan for 2009/10. Our aim is to identify where and how we can deliver the greatest impact to make the most difference to people's lives. We have therefore refined our grant giving to the following four key areas:

• Disadvantaged youth - to tackle exclusion and reduce poverty of aspiration;
• Literacy and numeracy - to improve skills of young people and adults;
• Vulnerable populations - to improve the lives of the elderly, homeless and those suffering from addiction, domestic violence and mental health issues; and
• Disaster relief - to support international disasters.

We will continue to fund small to medium size charities in areas that often receive little public support and those that can effect real change in the communities in which we live and work.

The Annual Charity chosen by our employees was the Anthony Nolan Trust and we would like to thank the 35 employees who signed up to their bone marrow donor register and to everyone who helped match the Trust's £100,000 donation, raising a further £100,000 over the year. Our new Annual Charity for 2009/10 will be the Alzheimer's Research Trust and we look forward to working with them through our volunteering and fundraising activities next year.

Man has a long history of philanthropic engagement and we would like to thank all of our employees who volunteered their time and donated to so many charities over the year via their Give As You Earn accounts and the Trust's sponsorship matching scheme.

I look forward to working with everyone next year to make a real difference to the lives of the most vulnerable and deprived in our community. Our support will be even more vital in this difficult economic climate.

Lesley King-Lewis

Director, Man Group plc Charitable Trust

Trustees of the Man Group plc Charitable Trust:

Peter Clarke (Chairman)

Verrona Browne

Colin Brumpton

Mark Chambers

Debbie Fry

Victoria Pakenham

Andrew Scott

Ashe Windham