Builders Merchants Journal – BMJ Publishing to Builders Merchants and the UK merchanting industry for more than 95 years
South West independent builders merchant Bradfords was the third highest corporate fund-raiser in Europe for global men’s health charity Movember last November.
Bradfords, which launched its ‘MoBros’ fundraising team with England Rugby star Henry Slade as captain, successfully raised almost £47,000 throughout Movember through in-branch fundraising activities and generous donations from partners and customers.
Bradfords CEO David Young said: “It’s a real honour to have been named the number one Corporate Fundraiser in the UK and third in the whole of Europe for what is an outstanding cause.
“I’m so proud of the entirety of Bradfords, who came together and worked so hard to raise close to an amazing £47,000. A big thank you must go to our partners and customers for their generosity and support, and a special thank you to Henry Slade for leading the MoBros team to such a fantastic win!”
Funds raised during Movember go towards supporting innovative world-class men’s health projects in their key focus areas – mental health, suicide prevention, prostate and testicular cancer.
For Amy Jeffries, a member of staff at Bradfords’ Worcester branch who participated in the fundraising activity to cycle 1770 miles, the challenge was a rewarding and meaningful one.
“The Movember campaign was something personally close to my heart, with men’s mental health and prostate cancer in my family, so for me it was all for a great campaign and charity.
“It really brought us together as a team to make sure we completed the challenge by the end of the month, and became very exciting towards the end as we reached the finish line! We all thoroughly enjoyed the experience and we already can’t wait for next year!”
Construction workers are four times more likely to die by suicide than the national average, making it one of the deadliest professions for mental health in the UK. According to research from On the Tools, 73% of the country’s 2.1 million construction workers have been affected by poor mental health at some point during their careers. In the UK during 2021, one in five men aged 16 to 29 experienced moderate to severe symptoms of depression, and worryingly a boy born in the UK during 2021 will be expected to live four years less than a girl.
Fundraising efforts at Bradfords are continuing into 2025, with the business hosting a Movember Charity raffle and auction to raise more funds at the Bradfords annual conference during February, where it hopes to break the £50,000 threshold.
