Charity: Halifax-based housing team raise cash for Andy's Man Club

Together Housing, which is based in Halifax and manages more than 37,000 homes across the North of England, has raised the cash for the mental health charity since April by holding different events.

Andy’s Man Club is a peer-to-peer support group for men over the age of 18 aiming to cut the number of suicides among men.

The money has been raised through corporate donations, a sponsored fasting, bucket collections, a cake sale, a sponsored walk and virtual Christmas party fundraising activities. A 40-mile sponsored bike ride is also planned.

Around 55 per cent of Together Housing staff are men, with the proportion much higher in trade and environmental services roles.

Representatives from Andy’s Man Club have been delivering presentations to Together Housing staff at events and team training sessions.

The charity was chosen by a staff vote earlier in 2022.

Emma Tomkinson, Assistant Director of People Services at Together Housing, said: “We have been overwhelmed to see how much support our teams have given to fundraising for Andy’s Man Club to help them continue their fantastic work.

“We have had people come forward at the presentations to say how they have been helped personally by Andy’s Man Club and others who say they are struggling and will attend Andy’s Man Club, so we know the partnership is making a positive difference to people’s lives.

“We feel that supporting a particular charity of staff choice each year not only helps us ‘give back’ but supports our own social value and wellbeing strategies.

"It recognises the fantastic contribution made by employees to improve the quality of life in the communities in which they live and work as well as improving staff’s mental wellbeing by helping others.”

Lucas Whitehead, from Andy’s Man Club, said: "A massive thank you to the team at Together Housing for their help in raising funds and awareness.

"Christmas is a time of generosity and giving but with cost of living on the rise and a whole host of other pressures on men, it is vitally important that we are able to continue opening our doors and also positioning our service in front of men who may need us.”