Meetings Industry Meeting Needs (MIMN) raised £91,614 in the year ending May 2011 – a record for the event industry charity.

Accounts filed with Companies House show that income increased by 80 per cent with costs of less than two per cent and the balance going direct to worthy causes. MIMN funded £83,000 worth of projects during the year in the UK and overseas – nearly double the previous year – with £7,000 held in reserve at the year end. The number of charity partners has now reached 50 for the first time.

MIMN treasurer Charles Blowfield said the huge increase reflected the engagement of the marketplace in the past year. He said: “There has been a real step change with all the leading brands signing up to offer financial support for the charity. All the top agencies have joined us and organisations such as BDRC Continental, ISES, Eventia and the Institute of Travel & Meetings have also given us great fund-raising support. The result has been some fantastic work on behalf of some needy people – the result is that it has been a great year for Meeting Needs.”