The Bermuda Education Network has received a donation of $20,000 from a charitable trust that aims to improve of the lives of disadvantaged youth and promote maritime safety.

Kattegat Ltd, the charitable arm of investment holding company Kattegat Trust which is headquartered in Bermuda, has donated $150,000 to the education charity over the past ten years.

The trust provides support to its clients through maritime education, safety and cultural heritage.

Becky Ausenda, BEN’s founder, said: “Kattegat’s annual contributions for the past ten years have provided us with much needed security amid an ever-changing fundraising landscape. In terms of staff volunteering their contribution has been unmatched.

“I am particularly grateful to Kattegat chief operating officer Cora Lee Starzomski, who served as treasurer for BEN for three years and guided us through our first two public audits.”

Ms Starzomski added: “I am very proud to support BEN and its commitment to enhance public-school education by providing professional development opportunities to educators and experiential learning and reading programmes to public schoolchildren.

“I have seen first-hand the benefits of recognising outstanding public-school educators for their accomplishments and in providing early intervention and support to primary school readers.”

Louie Cuarantas, another Kattegat team member, described how volunteering on the finance side for BEN has provided an opportunity to support the Bermuda community.

He said: “As a father of two, I regularly emphasise to my children the transformative power of a good education, and I’m proud to contribute to an organisation that provides students with essential programmes to improve learning during their foundational years.”