Local charities benefit from Anglo American’s safety initiative

Anglo American has donated over £30,000 to three local charities: Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice in Middlesbrough, Yorkshire Air Ambulance and Place2Be, who specialise in children’s mental health support.

Staff at the Woodsmith Project, the company’s polyhalite mine being built under the North Yorkshire coast, chose the charities to receive the money as part of an internal campaign to drive safe and responsible working practices and behaviours.

Each of the charities received over £11,000, money which is badly needed as charities face up to the challenge of adapting their services following the coronavirus pandemic.

Middlesbrough-based Zoe’s Place Baby Hospice were beneficiaries from the safety-driven initiative for a second successive year.

“We’ve had a really challenging time over the last year due to the pandemic, and had to close for the first time, so the continued support of organisations like Anglo American means so much to us right now in terms of keeping our doors open,” said Sara Benson from Zoe’s Place.

“To be able to see the impact we have on the families who come to Zoe’s Place is just incredible and we couldn’t do that without this kind of fantastic support.”

Rob Scott, East Yorkshire Regional Fundraiser for Yorkshire Air Ambulance, which has received over £30,000 in funding from Anglo American over the last two years, said: “It costs £12,000 a day to keep both of Yorkshire’s air ambulances in the air. The money raised by Anglo American over the years has provided tremendous support, as well as helping us spread the word about the vital work we do.”

Becca Stimson, Corporate Partnerships Manager at Place2Be, who offer mental health support in schools, said: “Devastatingly, one in six children now have a diagnosable mental health condition and up to 1.5 million children will need new or additional mental health support due to Covid-19. Contributions from companies like Anglo American make a real difference to ensuring children don’t face mental health problems alone.”

Anglo American staff will vote for their three 2022 charities later this month.