Access Bank Group supports UNICEF through the high-profile Access Bank Charity Shield polo matches in Nigeria that have run for the past five years in conjunction with Fifth Chukker.

The sponsorship provides a platform for supporting orphaned and vulnerable children in Nigeria through its annual donation in association with Fifth Chukker and UNICEF.

Three years ago this platform was extended to the UK and this year, for the third year running, The Access Bank UK, Access Private Bank, UNICEF and Fifth Chukker hosted the Access Bank Day at Ham Polo Club on Saturday, June 14th.

Together Access Bank plc and Fifth Chukker have raised more than N100m (£368,000) for UNICEF.

Access Bank Plc Group managing director, Herbert Wigwe, highlighted that the aim of the event at Ham Polo Club is to raise further awareness of the issues and support required.

Mr Wigwe explained: "Our support for the Fifth Chukker UNICEF initiative comes from the fact that we are conscious of our role as a change agent in Nigeria that can help institute socio-economic development through responsible business practice and environmental considerations. We are part of the community and as such should support its wellbeing".

The Access Bank Polo Day at Ham was hosted by The Access Bank UK Limited which has just published its Report and Financial Statements for the year ended December 31st, 2013. These show, among other impressive growth indicators, that in 2013 the Bank continued to grow the range of services provided by its Private Bank offering. This saw the assets under management for its clients rise to $47.9 million, an increase of 131%. Overall the Bank grew its profit after tax by 30% to £2.3 million. It has also achieved exponential growth of 83% over the last three years.

Commenting on these figures, The Access Bank UK's chief executive officer and managing director, Jamie Simmonds, said: "We believe we have succeeded in the current financial climate where others have failed through our passion for customers built on relationship and not a transactional approach. We offer services that include wealth and asset management, business banking, trade finance and personal banking.

"This achievement owes a great deal to the strong partnership that we have with our parent company, as evidenced by our joint support of the Access Bank Day at Ham Polo Club.

"Building long term and mutually beneficial relationships with our customers has been key to our development and is an approach we will continue with the aim of creating the most profitable African bank in the UK, and greatly expanding our contribution to Group performance".