Forterra donates over £45,000 to Mind

Over the course of 2022 leading building products manufacturer Forterra has engaged in a range of fundraising activities, generating a total of over £45,000 in aid of its Charity of the Year, Mind.

After raising £24,680.60, Forterra matched the funds by £25,000 to bring in a grand total of £49,680.50.

Mind is a mental health charity which offers information, advice and support to people experiencing mental health issues. The charity also campaigns to improve mental health services, raise awareness of issues, and promote understanding.

The funds for Mind were raised via a variety of activities and events organised by Forterra and its employees across the country.

One of these fundraisers was the ‘Day off’ raffle, where employees stood to win an extra day’s holiday entitlement. At £1 per ticket, the raffle allowed employees unlimited entries to maximise the funds raised for Mind. Each plant was allocated a day off to reward, so that there were multiple winners across the company as a whole.

Another fundraising event of note was the Cahors challenge, in which Forterra employees undertook a 565 miles’ relay cycle across France, involving 8,700 metres of arduous hill climbing.  The Cahors challenge has a long-standing association within the building industry, and Challenge Adventure Charities, who organise the Cahors run, have been organising cycling events since the 1990s.

Raising over £7500, the event allocated 50% of the funds to Mind, distributing the rest between the British Heart Foundation and Cancer Research UK, as well as NHS charities, in recognition of the great work these have done.

The Forterra Biker Event, which raised £200, allowed employees to join together on a motorbike drive to Skegness, stopping at various meeting points along the way so that bikers could join from their respective Forterra factories and offices.

All in all, this £49,680.50 total is going towards an important cause and will help and improve the significant charity work done by Mind each year.

Caroline Wildman, Marketing Director for Forterra, says, “We’re proud to have been extensively involved in raising funds for such an important charity. Our employees have really risen to the challenge with each event, and the amount of participation has been inspiring.

“There are significant mental health issues in the construction and manufacturing industry as well as in the logistics sectors of these industries; by supporting charities such as Mind, Forterra is helping to provide aid and support to those in need, and create the space for important conversations to happen.

“We’re eagerly anticipating the next few fundraising events of this year, and look forward to making them as successful as possible.

For more information on Forterra, visit https://www.forterra.co.uk/.