CRASH Newsletter: October 2024
CRASH on the road visiting charities that need our help
We know that buildings affect how we feel and behave. Even a small refurbishment project can make a big difference to the people who rely on the services based in that building.
CRASH is the construction industry’s charity, helping homelessness charities and hospices with vital construction projects. We collaborate with all of the charities we support to deliver assistance in three ways: providing professional expertise, free or discounted construction products, and grants to get things done.
In the 2023/24 financial year, CRASH helped 44 charities, 29 homelessness and 15 hospices with their building projects. Our Corporate Patrons and supporters provided professional expertise and construction products worth £348,809, and CRASH pledged grants worth £435,185.
As part of our application process, we visit charities, usually with a construction professional as a project advisor, to better understand their needs. We have visited 16 projects so far this financial year. Here is a flavour of some of the charities we have seen in September and October.
Jimmy’s, Cambridge – visited 13th September.
Jimmy’s supports people experiencing homelessness in Cambridge City. They reached out to CRASH for support with their Grade 2 listed Victorian building, which has been the charity’s home for 29 years.
They need help reconfiguring and renovating their communal space and offices to create a welcoming, modern, and fit-for-purpose space. Currently, there is no privacy and a lack of space for communal activities such as literacy, art, or music classes. By updating and upgrading the space, Jimmy’s hopes to create a welcoming and calm environment where residents can feel supported.
- CRASH’s CEO, Trisha Pickersgill, and our assistant projects manager, Ruth Marsden, visited Jimmy’s with project advisor Shrungi Bhatt from our Corporate Patron Arcadis.
Centrepoint Outreach, Boston – visited 25th September.
Centrepoint Outreach is a homelessness charity based in Lincolnshire. They applied to CRASH for support to redevelop their building and create a more efficient, welcoming, and productive environment for clients, volunteers, and staff.
The current building includes a drop-in lounge, facilities for the homeless, a charity shop, administrative offices, and storage areas. As part of the refurbishment, they would like to create large kitchen facilities, add a second shower room and a separate accessible toilet, and install a platform lift to transport goods between floors.
The work will allow them to increase the capacity of their drop-in service, see more clients and better address their immediate needs. It would also improve the indoor spaces and enhance the more targeted, long-term support that they can offer.
- CRASH’s CEO, Trisha Pickersgill, and our projects manager, Vipesh Mistry, visited Centrepoint with project advisor Will Woodward from Corporate Patron Arcadis.
Kenward Trust, Tunbridge Wells – visited 14th October.
Kenward Trust has been supporting adults on the road to recovery from addiction and homelessness for over 55 years. They applied to CRASH to support refurbishing new move-on accommodation for 14 people in Tunbridge Wells.
Previously a homeless hostel, the property needs a complete update and redecorating, from the bathrooms to the outside space. The project will restore a sense of community and pride for residents and enable Kenward to support even more people in need.
- CRASH’s CEO, Trisha Pickersgill, our projects manager, Vipesh Mistry and our assistant projects manager, Ruth Marsden, visited Kenward.
YMCA, Milton Keynes – visited 16th October.
YMCA MK is a homelessness charity that supports young adults aged 18-35 to belong, contribute, and thrive. The charity provides local people with a safe place to call home, people they can trust, and support to fulfil their potential.
Their application to CRASH was to refurbish a now redundant nursery space into a modern lounge and kitchen for residents, enhancing the integration between residents and staff. They would also like to reconfigure the floor layout to include ten additional bedrooms to help more people. One of the project’s aims is to encourage residents to get involved in the YMCA community.
- CRASH’s CEO, Trisha Pickersgill, and our assistant projects manager, Ruth Marsden, visited YMCA MK with project advisor Bhavesh Bhudia from Corporate Patron Arcadis.