Member Article

Local housebuilder helps charity support cancer patients with funding initiative

Local five star housebuilder, Barratt Developments North East, which includes both the Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes brands, is kickstarting 2020 by continuing with its initiative designed to support charities and organisations in the areas in which it builds. The Community Fund sees the housebuilder donate £1,000 each month to a community group or charity across the North East region. As part of the scheme, Barratt Developments is supporting local charity, Fighting All Cancers Together (FACT), which currently has hubs across the region, including in Sunderland.

FACT, a charity that has been operating in the North East for over ten years, provides free non-clinical support and social opportunities to those directly affected by cancer, their carers, family and friends. The founder, Joanne Smith, launched FACT just three years after she was diagnosed with cancer herself. Initially, the idea was to build a network amongst other charities, health professionals and support groups. When Joanne realised there was a lack of support services, she decided to take matters into her own hands and fill in those gaps.

Barratt Developments’ £1,000 donation will help FACT to maintain and upkeep its current hub in Sunderland, which offers a variety of activities including exercise, coffee mornings, counselling and holistic therapies. The donation will go towards broadening access to the stairway in order to make it appropriate for all users, whilst also enabling FACT to continue delivering vital services to this community in a safe, warm and comfortable environment.

Ashlea Wright, Sales Manager for the nearby Cherry Tree Park development, commented: “The team at FACT do a fantastic job at providing non-clinical services for all who may need it, from creating social opportunities and relationships, to raising awareness through its bespoke educational programmes. We hope that our donation will really contribute towards the education and support needed by those who are fighting cancer in the local area.”

Joy Arnold, Charity Representative from FACT, commented: “We are extremely grateful to Barratt Developments for its generous donation. The money donated will help to strengthen the network of support and increase the ability to educate those around us. This gives us the opportunity to offer further support services more easily to those suffering from cancer, cancer survivors and their friends and families. The more awareness we create, the stronger we are to Fight All Cancers Together!”

Last year, as part of its Community Fund initiative, Barratt Developments North East donated £12,000 to various charities and organisations across the North East region, including Dementia Matters, Morpeth Mental Health and Newcastle West End Food Bank.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Richard Savage .