Hundreds of people, from primary school children to pensioners, are set to benefit from a pioneering community fund launched in Shropshire.
Construction company McPhillips has launched a dedicated grant scheme with the Shropshire Community Foundation. And this month will see it award an £18,000 funding boost to six organisations working in communities to address mental health challenges.
The McPhillips Community Fund has awarded grants to:
- Bright Star Boxing for its 12-week Empower programme combining boxing with mental health support in Shrewsbury.
- Home-Start Telford or a self-esteem course aimed at improving mental health for parents, teaching self-awareness, positive communication, assertiveness, and self-determination.
- Community Resource’s Buddy Programme for a countywide scheme to train volunteer buddies to pair with individuals experiencing mental health challenges, providing one-to-one emotional and practical support.
- Designs in Mind for weekly singing and reading and writing groups as well as a monthly Pride in Mind group in Oswestry led by people with lived experience of mental health diagnosis.
- The Cube Amber Bee CIC School Project for its Barney & Echo Mindfulness and Mental Wellbeing Project to promote discussion about mental health importance in 45 primary schools in Telford & Wrekin.
- 4 All Foundation to help fund a weekly mental health programme for vulnerable adults aged 60 and over in Telford, combining physical activities with peer support and intergenerational engagement.
McPhillips’ managing director Paul Inions said the grants would help communities across the county promote better mental health, build community engagement and develop skills.
“We are tremendously proud of our Shropshire heritage and launched the fund to celebrate our 60th anniversary and play our part in supporting some of the incredible community work going on. Each one of these projects is making a huge, positive difference to the lives of those taking part and helping support some of the most vulnerable and isolated groups in our county.”
Sonia Roberts, Shropshire Community Foundation trustee, said: “The McPhillips Community Fund is a fantastic initiative which will help transform the lives of every single person these projects touch. I can think of no better example of a company delivering real, tangible social value by actively supporting the communities it works amongst.
“We are extremely proud to partner with the company on this ground-breaking scheme and delighted at the response we have had.”
Joe Lockley, founding director of Bright Star Boxing, said the Empower programme was due to get under way in Shrewsbury later this month and would be a first for the town.
“This is our first dedicated Empower programme for Shrewsbury but without funding through the new McPhillips Community Fund it wouldn’t have happened,” said Joe. “It’s a constant challenge to get funding for localised projects such as this because all the big national funders favour areas of high deprivation over need so it’s brilliant that we have won the backing of McPhillips and the Shropshire Community Foundation. We cannot thank them enough.”
McPhillips, which employs more than 240 people at its Hortonwood headquarters, has delivered more than 140 projects as principal contractor with a value of £300million in the last five years.
For more details about the McPhillips Community Fund visit https://www.mcphillips.co.uk/about-us/mcphillips-community-fund/.
CAPTION: Jack Clements from McPhillips, Joe-Lockley, founding director of Bright Star Boxing; Sonia Roberts, Shropshire Community Foundation trustee and Val Hardy, McPhillips company secretary.
