The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity is looking for firms to help support its fundraising in its South West region as growing numbers of construction workers find themselves struggling with their mental health.
The Somerset-based charity provides emotional, physical and financial wellbeing support to the construction community and their families. Last year it supported 3,421 families through difficult and challenging times, an increase of 23% on the previous year.
Lighthouse Charity raises around £16,000 a year to help provide a variety of well-being services and resources to people in need. It is now appealing for volunteers to help expand fundraising in response to a huge increase in requests for support from construction workers.
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Joe Hawkins, Lighthouse Charity secretary and site manager at housebuilder Lovell, said: “We are the industry’s charity and we are here to help with financial, physical or emotional assistance. We are collecting more money, distributing more grants and providing more services, especially to support people with mental health. We want more construction firms to get involved and help us with fundraising events.”
The Western committee is led by longstanding chairman Alan Waterson, a retired contracts manager at Carillion who has served the charity for four decades. Members include Garry Baynham, sales director at Bristol-based hire firm Plantforce, Robbie Davies, director at Bridgwater-based RJD Scaffolding, James Legg, founder of Bristol-based recruiter Leggwork, Paul Onslow, managing director at Taunton-based Amp Access Solutions, Jerome Timbrell, managing director at Highbridge-based consultancy C2 Safety, and Justin Waterson, Alan’s son and director at Waterson PS.
Jerome Timbrell, committee member, said: “We are reinforcing the safety net to stop people falling through it. In one case, a young construction worker tragically lost his life and left behind a wife and young children. Lighthouse Charity helped out to such an extent that the widow was able to rebuild her life. She later made a donation to the charity. We are changing people’s lives.”
Lighthouse Charity provides access to a range of resources to support the wellbeing of the workforce. These include a 24/7 confidential helpline, free wellbeing masterclasses, a self-support app and 160 drop-in centres called Lighthouse Beacons staffed by volunteers.
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