An innovative Portishead company has used the pandemic to its advantage to raise money for charity.

Trade credit insurance broker The Channel Partnership has collected £1,600 for Children's Hospice South West (CHSW) since August.

Director, Tom Rolfe, explains how the company raised funds through its switch to video conferencing.

He said: "We all know that Covid-19 has had an impact on many areas of business and most of that impact is negative and The Channel Partnership, we are always trying to look for the positives.

“As a business, we pay 15p per mile for business mileage and as a result of the switch to video conferencing we’ve saved hundreds of pounds in fuel costs.

"We’re also well aware that charities have struggled as fundraising events have not been able to take place as a result of the pandemic.

“We just joined the dots. Any time our clients request a video call to replace a face-to-face meeting, we work out the saving in business mileage costs and add that to our charity pot."

Corporate partnerships fundraiser at CHSW, Amanda Gallagher, commends the initiative.

She said: “This is such a brilliant fundraising idea by The Channel Partnership and we are so grateful to the company for thinking of the charity.

"Video conferencing has been a huge part of 2020 and to see staff spot it as an opportunity to support us is fantastic.

“It’s only thanks to such creativity and generosity that we are able to continue caring for local families who need our love and support now more than ever.”

The Channel Partnership has chosen to support the charity’s Charlton Farm hospice in Wraxall with its video conferencing initiative.

The company has set a challenge of raising £3,000 for the hospice by July and is encouraging its clients who want to contribute to the cause by speaking via video call or phone to replace a face-to-face meeting.

Children's Hospice South West cares for children with life-limiting conditions as well as supporting their families who live in North Somerset, South Gloucestershire, Bath and North East Somerset, West Wiltshire and Bristol.