Charities supporting the homeless, the vulnerable and people facing mental health issues in Scotland and England are among 13 key community organisations given a helping hand by family-owned Mactaggart & Mickel.

The Kindness Homeless Street Team Glasgow, Scottish Association for Mental Health, Cheltenham Open Door and Oxfordshire Mind have been awarded donations worth a total of £6,000 from the Glasgow-headquartered company.

The company reached out to the four organisations to help them rise to the soaring mental health challenges and rising levels of homelessness created by the coronavirus pandemic and the support has been warmly welcomed by the charities.  

Mactaggart & Mickel have also made a further £7,000 of donations from its Building Communities Fund to nine good causes on both sides of the Scottish-English border to help them navigate their way through lockdown restrictions. Organisations receiving donations include:

• Aberlour Childcare Trust
• Ayrshire Orienteering Club
• Haddington & District Community Council’s Resilience Team
• Easthouses Football Club
• Cathcart Youth Ministry Partnership
• Amisfield Preservation Trust
• Edinburgh City Mission
• St Nicholas CE Primary School, East Challow, Oxfordshire
• Fintan Football Club, Cheltenham

Pat Lemmon, speaking on behalf of the Haddington Resilience Team that received £1,000 in funding, said:

“In this day and age, it’s hard to believe that people still go hungry and without proper warm clothing, either for themselves or their children. 

“Unfortunately, there are still people out there who need help. Our funds were set to run out early in 2021 so this funding will make a huge difference to us as we help those who need urgent assistance.”

Cheltenham Open Door chair Julie Kent, MBE, also welcomed the donation, stating:

“We’re delighted Mactaggart & Mickel have decided to support Cheltenham Open Door at a time when our services are more important than ever. Their donation came out of the blue and will really help our hardworking team meet the growing demand for our services.

“The number of people who need our help has risen dramatically due to the coronavirus pandemic. Our organisation has been a lifesaver for nearly 30 years, but Covid-19 is posing a particular challenge. It’s reassuring to know supporters like Mactaggart & Mickel are willing to help us meet our current challenges. We’re grateful for their generosity.”

Joanne Casey, Director at Mactaggart & Mickel, said:

“We have a proud history of supporting people in the communities where we are building new homes, which reflects Mactaggart & Mickel’s family ethos.

“We have always cared deeply about the people in the communities where we want to make a positive difference, especially where people have been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.

“We are committed to helping organisations and projects that benefit people’s lives through our Building Communities Fund and we know their work is more valuable than ever due to Covid-19.

“We have also reached out to key organisations with special one-off donations to support their vital work among those left most vulnerable by the social and economic impact of the biggest post-war challenge the UK has ever faced.”

Mactaggart & Mickel have a long history of supporting good causes. Their Building Communities Fund was established to enhance the company’s ongoing efforts to help organisations and projects which benefit the people’s lives. 

Last year, the company, whose headquarters are in Glasgow and have offices in Cheltenham and London, awarded donations to food banks in Scotland and the South West of England to boost their efforts to support families struggling to cope amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Mactaggart & Mickel have also extended its sponsorship of Scottish Paralympics swimmer Andrew Mullen as he sets his sights on winning gold in Tokyo this summer.

For details of the Mactaggart & Mickel Building Communities Fund, click here.