Overseas Partners Ltd., which contributed $25,000 this week to the centre's fund raising effort.

Physical Abuse Centre chairperson June Augustus accepted Overseas Partners' donation to The Safe House Building Fund Campaign, which has a target goal of $700,000.

President and CEO, Bruce Barone, made the presentation, noting, "We feel the Physical Abuse Centre is serving a much needed role in assisting families in Bermuda that find themselves caught up in a cycle of violence.

"We applaud the significant humanitarian effort of the Centre in providing the needy with assistance.'' Also in attendance for the presentation to the centre was Overseas Partners human resources manager, Zita Smith.

The centre was formed in 1979 and operates the only local "safe house'' for victims of domestic violence. But the registered charity has been forced to move from four previous locations, and is now in the throes of buying permanent premises.

Overseas Partners said yesterday the firm recognised a responsibility to support and enhance the quality of life in the community in which its employees live and work.

The firm focuses its support on human welfare programmes, education and major initiatives such as the centre's push for its own building.

Overseas Partners is a multi-line reinsurer with assets in excess of $3.6 billion. Subsidiary Overseas Partners Capital Corp. owns and manages major real estate in the US.

The company is engaged in the property, casualty and life reinsurance business, and in the leasing and real estate business. A major source of its reinsurance business is the reinsurance of shipper's insurance issued by US based insurance companies covering loss or damage to shippers' packages carried by subsidiaries of United Parcel Service (UPS).

The privately held company is owned by some 73,000 employees of UPS.