Member Article

Housebuilders donate £2,000 to Hampshire organisations giving vital support during pandemic

Barratt Homes and David Wilson Homes have donated £2,000 to two organisations that provide a much-needed lifeline to the community during the Covid pandemic.

The five star housebuilders gave £1,000 to each charity - the Good Neighbours Network and Unity in Test Valley - as part of their Community Fund Scheme, which provides ongoing support of local causes that improve the quality of life of people living in the region.

The Good Neighbours Network supports 120 independent voluntary groups across Hampshire. Each group offers daily acts of kindness to their local community, ranging from medical and social transport to shopping and prescription delivery, all of which have been vital during the ongoing pandemic.

Despite the challenging times, the Good Neighbours volunteers successfully delivered over 44,000 tasks for individuals during the first nationwide lockdown and have delivered many more since.

Karen Jordan, team leader at the Good Neighbours Network, said: “Most Good Neighbours groups rely heavily on donations and the generous support of their volunteers. During the pandemic, groups have seen a dip in funding and also a drop in volunteer numbers because of shielding needs. This generous donation will mean that each group can continue to deliver the much-needed support direct to the people who need it most.

Likewise, Unity oversees the work of several charities and groups in the Test Valley area, and by the end of December last year, the organisation had recruited over 5,000 volunteers and had coordinated 70 groups across the region that could provide local responses to the Covid crisis.

Terry Bishop, Chief Executive at Unity, said: “Unfortunately, more people have had to rely on our services, as they faced job losses, furlough or being unable to work due to their businesses closing, or their need to isolate. We’ve seen first hand how the lockdown has impacted people financially, but physically and mentally too. Unity reacted quickly to the Covid pandemic by developing a Helpline for people isolating or shielding, as well as a call back service for people struggling with their mental health.

“It means a lot that Barratt and David Wilson Homes have recognised the work that organisations such as ours are doing, and we are very grateful that we have been one of the lucky recipients of the Community Fund. We will be using the fund to keep this helpline open and offer help to those who desperately need it.”

Tammy Bishop, Sales Director at Barratt and David Wilson Homes, is over the moon that the housebuilders’ Community Fund can support organisations that have played such an instrumental part in 2020.

She said: “In such a challenging year for all of us, it has been so important that we keep an eye on those who are suffering in our communities.

“Both the Good Neighbours Network and Unity have gone above and beyond to help people across the region during 2020, and I am so grateful that we can give them this well-deserved boost.”

The Community Fund is a dedicated financial resource that helps to support local causes which improve the quality of life for those living in the region.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Barratt Homes .