Company to build on £170,000 partnership with charity

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MANUFACTURER

A COMPANY has raised more than £170,000 for the homeless during a three-year charity partnership.

Ibstock plc, a manufacturer of clay and concrete building materials, raised the amount over the past three years to support its charity partner, Shelter.

Staff across multiple Ibstock sites took part in a series of fund-raising activities, including team sleep outs and cycle-athons covering more than 2,000 kilometres.

All funds have been matched by the business to help Shelter’s frontline services support people who are experiencing homelessness and the charity’s work campaigning for lasting change.

As Ibstock’s first corporate charity partnership, the company said the relationship reflected its commitment to helping overcome injustices within the housing market.

It is part of its ESG Strategy 2030, which outlines its commitment to support and strengthen communities to help make a real difference.

The original twoyear partnership, which was formed in 2019, was extended for an additional year due to the pandemic, with an increased fund-raising target of £170,000.

Earlier this year, Ibstock extended its fund-raising commitment even further with an incentive that offered businesses and individuals the opportunity to purchase a limited-edition, personalised engraved brick.

Each brick will be used as part of the construction of Ibstock’s new kiln at the world’s first ever net zero carbon brick factory at its Atlas site in the West Midlands.

Raising more than £18,000 so far, the engraved bricks, which will be created as part of Ibstock’s A Place in History campaign, will create a visible mural that acts as a significant reminder of the importance of building spaces that are affordable, safe and can be a place to call home for everyone.

Joe Hudson, chief executive of Ibstock plc, said: “Our business is at the heart of building, we are extremely conscious of the responsibility we have to help end the housing crisis by supporting the construction of a new generation of low-carbon, affordable social homes.

“While achieving our initial £170,000 fund-raising milestone marks the end of our threeyear corporate charity partnership with Shelter, it certainly isn’t the end of our relationship. “We will be continuing to support Shelter in its fight for homes throughout 2022 and beyond as we also support further local causes that are important to each of our regional manufacturing sites.”

Polly Neate, chief executive of Shelter, said: “We are incredibly grateful for Ibstock’s support over the past three years, and are delighted that it will be continuing to work with us in our fight for homes.

“Every day at Shelter we support people who are struggling with bad housing and homelessness.

“We know all too well how tough it has been for people during the pandemic, and now with rents rising and living costs spiralling, our work helping people to find or keep hold of a safe home is more critical than ever.”

AT THE END OF COMMITMENT

We will be continuing to support Shelter in its fight for homes throughout 2022 and beyond

Joe Hudson