Hundreds of primary school children across Lancashire have received help to create awareness around mental health, as part of Napthens’ commitment to good causes across the north west.
The Napthens Foundation was created in 2021 to provides relief to those in need through education, youth, age, ill-health, disability, financial hardship or other disadvantages.
In total £40,000 has been raised and donated to good causes, including help for primary schools, nurseries and families to create a positive mental wellbeing culture, the Stroke Association and Blackburn Rovers Community Trust.
The money has been raised from a series of challenges and events across our six offices in Merseyside, Cumbria and Lancashire.
They included partner Oli McCann swimming Lake Windermere, a group climbing The Three Peaks in Yorkshire, a trainee walk that raised more than £5,000, bake sales, a firmwide raffle, monthly ‘dress down days’, and colleagues also made regular monthly contributions from their salary.
The Napthens Foundation provided more than £11,000 to myHappymind in 2022 and 2023, to deliver mental wellbeing support to almost 1,500 children across primary schools in Blackpool, Blackburn, Preston and Chorley.
Laura Earnshaw from myHappymind said: “The donation received from the Napthens Foundation has been essential in allowing us access into local primary schools to educate the pupils on the importance of their mental health and wellbeing.
“Our programme works to build the children’s self-esteem during their crucial development years, allowing them to take these lessons into later life and excel.
“We want to destigmatise mental health and reduce the impact of it later in life, including the strain it puts on the NHS.
“The donation from Napthens Foundation has allowed us to have a positive impact on young children’s lives, and this will spread through each school’s community – touching parents and teachers alike.”
Nicola Mason, head of people and operations at Napthens, and a 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.
“In the two years since the inception of the Foundation, we’ve had incredible support from colleagues and clients, which has enabled us to support a variety of good causes across the region.
“As a firm we take great pride in supporting children and adults across the region, seeing first-hand the difference our fundraising makes.
“We hope the money raised so far will soon be a drop in the ocean, as we continue to strive and make a difference to the communities in which we operate.”
The Stroke Association and Blackburn Rovers Community Trust (BRCT) both received more than £3,000 after Oli McCann plunged into the waters of England’s biggest lake and swam 10km.
BRCT will use the money specifically to help Apple Trees in Blackburn, an organisation the Community Trust works with closely with, to deliver targeted multi-sports activities for children with disabilities.
The Stroke Association will use the money to further research and support those who have suffered a stroke.
Vikki Pattinson, from the Stroke Association, said: “We’re always grateful to people like Oli who put themselves out to support others.
“The money he’s raised will help us continue pioneering research to save lives and help stroke survivors to make the best possible recovery.
“It will also deliver specialist support services and a helpline to ensure stroke survivors get the support they need.”
Gary Robinson, CEO at Blackburn Rovers Community Trust, which provides short breaks for children up to the age of 18 with disabilities, said: “Oli’s fundraising will help us with the delivery of targeted multi-sports for disabled children at Apple Trees, Blackburn, a centre which provides short breaks for children up to the age of 18 with disabilities.
“BRCT’s qualified coaching staff deliver engaging multi-sports sessions focused on the specific needs of the children.
“However, funding is vital to continue this incredibly valuable stimulating inclusive sports programme to disabled children whilst on short breaks at Apple Trees and we’re delighted with Oli’s continued support.”
