1 week Ago
Bee Wirral, which has benefitted from Unity’s Impact Grant programme, is a non-profit organisation dedicated to supporting members of the Birkenhead community through a range of activities, facilities and training. Following its launch in September, the bank's initiative received 146 entries from socially-minded organisations across the UK. Due to the strength of applications, Unity doubled its original promise and awarded grants to six organisations rather than three.
Established in 2013, one of Bee Wirral’s key programmes is the Elemental Project. With a mission to reduce isolation, address mental health challenges and improve the wellbeing of local men, the project provides a weekly timetable of activities to improve community integration, from sports and exercise, to woodworking and allotment sessions. Birkenhead is in the top 5% of most disadvantaged areas, and the project tackles some of the area’s most pressing issues, including high levels of unemployment, substance misuse, and suicide attempts.
Unity’s Impact Grant funding will directly support the staffing, coordination and delivery of the Elemental Project, enabling Bee Wirral to meet increasing demand and provide one-to-one support for individuals in need. Rachael McCoosh, Director at Bee Wirral, said: “Receiving this grant from Unity Trust Bank will make such a difference to our men’s Elemental Project. The funds will support our allotment site, allowing the men to learn about a whole range of eco-therapy activities and to engage in woodwork, which is one of the most popular projects.
“This will undoubtably go a long way in improving and maintaining positive mental health in the community. We are especially privileged to be one of the first recipients from a grant funder whose ethos and vision align so well with our own.” The five other successful recipients of the Unity Impact Grant are: Church of the Martyrs Baby Basics, Compass Disability Services, Cumbria Action for Sustainability, Harbour Ayrshire, and Sheffield & Rotherham Wildlife Trust.
The Unity Impact Grant initiative is part of the bank’s employee-led ‘Unity & Me’ programme, which was established to empower staff to deliver positive outcomes for employees, communities and the planet. Wider employee-driven fundraising activities this year have raised £20,500 for 24 good causes across the UK, including organisations that have been chosen directly by staff. The Impact Grant programme takes the total amount of charitable donations raised and donated by Unity to more than £50,500 - exceeding its 40th birthday goal.
Philippa Moors, Head of Charities at Unity Trust Bank, said: “We’re so pleased to award this Impact Grant to Bee Wirral. "It’s a privilege to highlight and support the charity’s important work, particularly the Elemental Project, which is providing vital mental health and wellbeing services to men across Birkenhead. "We hope that our grant will help to amplify this activity, ensuring even greater impact can be made for vulnerable individuals who are most in need.
” Catherine Tierney, ‘Unity & Me’ Grants & Donations Lead at Unity Trust Bank, said: “We were delighted by the overwhelming response to the launch of our Impact Grant scheme and we’d like to thank all those who applied. "We were incredibly impressed by the strength and breadth of applications, which is a fitting reflection of the vital community impact being delivered by socially-minded organisations all across the UK.” Following the success of this year’s inaugural Unity Impact Grant, the bank has pledged to more than double the amount of grant funding available next year, as it establishes the scheme as a permanent annual initiative.
For more information about Bee Wirral, visit www.beewirral.co.
uk.
