The Napthens Foundation, a charity set up to support important causes across the North West, has made its first donations after raising £10,000 in its opening year.
Set up to support important causes across the North West and beyond, more than 680 children have benefited from the foundation’s support so far, after it funded the delivery of curriculum programmes from children’s mental wellbeing curriculum myHappymind at two schools in Blackpool and a third in Preston.
Funds were generated by the Napthens team through a variety of activities across the firm’s six offices in Merseyside, Cumbria and Lancashire. Recent fundraising initiatives include a trainee walk that raised more than £5,000, bake sales in the firm’s Preston offices, a firmwide raffle and monthly ‘dress down days’. Staff also made regular monthly contributions from their salary.
Launched in May 2021, the Napthens Foundation provides relief to those in need by way of education, youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantages. It is partnered with and administered by the Charities Trust.
myHappymind is partnered with Ronald McDonald House and works to build habits to help children build their resilience, self-esteem and confidence, whilst removing the stigma surrounding mental health. It is an NHS-backed organisation and helps primary schools, nurseries and families to create a positive mental wellbeing culture.
The schools that benefitted for the initial funds and support from myHappymind are Christ the King Catholic Academy and St Cuthbert’s Catholic Academy, in Blackpool, and Our Lady’s and St Edward’s, in Preston. The foundation has plans underway to fund programs in two more schools in the coming months.
Elsewhere, on International Women’s Day the Napthens Foundation made a £1,000 donation to the Red Cross in support children and families affected by the ongoing Russian invasion of Ukraine, many of whom are currently homeless and without water.
Nicola Mason, HR and Operations Director at Napthens, and Napthens Foundation committee member, said: “At Napthens we strive to strengthen relationships not only with those we work with, but across the many communities our people are a part of and have an active interest in. The Foundation’s first year has been a real success and is making a difference to hundreds of children in the region and beyond. We’re already looking towards supporting more schools in the coming months.
“We have exciting plans coming up with Chris Boyle, our head of employment, set to run the Therme Manchester Marathon, head of plot sales Clare Sollitt, taking on the Pennine Way and employment partner Oli McCann walking Hadrian’s Wall in the foundation’s name. Our internal teams are continuing their fundraising efforts in line with an organised plan of events.”
