AXA Insurance has donated 250,000 to the vocational rehabilitation team at the Papworth Trust.

The donation aims to help seriously injured people return to the workplace. It comes after AXA found it had itself referred more than 100 employees to Papworth since October 2007.
 
David Williams, managing director of claims, AXA Insurance, said: "As part of our claims initiative, the 21st Century Injury Project, we had identified claimants were not always able to get back to work following a serious injury. We felt the improved self-esteem and overall increased wellbeing resulting from the ability to return to work warranted us seeking targeted vocational rehabilitation from specialists in that field."
 
The donation will help improve Britain's worldwide standing in helping to get the seriously injured back to work. Compared with many countries in Europe and North America, the UK performs badly. Only 14% of paraplegic victims in the UK return to full employment, compared with 42% in the US and 50% in Scandinavia.
 
Papworth was named Rehab Provider of the Year, 2008 at the Eclipse Proclaim Personal Injury Awards.