Stafford homebuilder funds charity training initiative
Barratt Homes has donated £500 to the Stafford and Cannock League of Hospital Friends as it continues to support the community in which it is building.
The League, close to the homebuilder’s Bertelin Fields development in Beaconside, is a unique charity that not only provides a range of retail services within local hospitals but also supports housing for clients with enduring mental illnesses.
Zoe Pyatt, Housing Services Manager of Stafford and Cannock League of Hospital Friends, said: “Myself and our CEO, Martin Thornley, came into our current roles in January 2017 and since then we have been able to give 201 people from Stafford and the surrounding areas the opportunity for a safe home.
“Homes ensure they can be supported to access and engage with mental health and other services.”
The League has supported vulnerable adults with enduring mental health illnesses since 1973 and, for the first 30 years, the support it provided for its clients was funded entirely through charitable donations.
Zoe continued: “Donations from businesses like Barratt Homes and the local community have been the reason we could continue to provide a safe home for people.
“We believe that a safe place to live is at the centre of everything and, from this place, we can see people become well and active participants in their community.”
According to statistics from Staffordshire Council, mental health across the county is considerably worse than the country-wide average.
The suicide rate across genders is higher, as is the emergency hospital admissions for intentional self-harm rate and the rate of acute emergency admissions with a mental health diagnosis in adults over 20.
Zoe said: “Barratt Homes’ donation has helped enable us to provide additional training to our team to support people with complex needs.
“We’ve also been able to undertake training in how to work with our clients in a trauma-informed way so that we don’t exacerbate any situation. We have 68 people currently in our houses today who will benefit from this training.
“We would like to thank Barratt Homes for its donation and for helping us support the vulnerable members of our community.”
Adrian Evans, Managing Director at Barratt Homes West Midlands, said: “We are proud to support the League of Hospital Friends on its mission to assist the people of Stafford and Cannock.
“We encourage anyone who can to lend the charity any support they can, as we must all work together to help the vulnerable members of our communities through difficult times in their lives.”
To find out more about the charity and the services it offers, visit its website at Stafford and Cannock League of Hospital Friends.
For more information about any developments in the area, visit the website at Barratt Homes in Staffordshire.
By Henry Lewis - Contributor
