18 Aug Charities across the East of England receive £5,000 boosts from Cadent employees
Following the launch of the new Cadent Foundation Community Fund, colleagues at the UK’s largest Gas Distribution Network have chosen to support four charities based in the East of England.
Norfolk based charities Amber’s Army and Finnbar’s Force, along with Butterfly Effect Wellbeing in Essex, and The Nest Farms in Suffolk have been named as the four beneficiaries of a big local employer’s new Community Fund.
As part of the new Cadent Foundation Community Fund launch, over 850 employees from Cadent, which manages the East of England’s gas distribution, were asked to nominate a local charity they wanted to help fundraise for throughout the year, with the chosen charities also benefitting from an initial share of a £20,000 pot of money.
All the chosen charities benefit from an initial donation of £5,000, then Cadent employees will continue to fundraise for these charities throughout the year, increasing the funding pot and volunteering for the charities too.
Ranjit Blythe, Managing Director of the Cadent Foundation explained: “Earlier this year, employees at Cadent were asked to nominate their favourite charity, a local charity they could support throughout the year, through fundraising as well as volunteering. We wanted our employees to choose local charities that meant something to them and are important to their local community.
“Each regional network will get a starting pot of £20,000 to split amongst their chosen charities. Employees can then fundraise additional money for their charities and earn a bonus from the Foundation at the end of the financial year.”
Amber’s Army was established to support families who have a child with a terminal cancer diagnosis, in memory of Amber Sheehy who passed away after years of fighting cancer – just an hour before her 9th birthday.
Amber’s Army was created to fulfil some of the most important aspects Amber’s parents encountered during Amber’s fight. ‘Creating Rainbows in the darkest of days’ was the intent of the charity, working with families to create lifelong memory making experiences for time when memories are all they have left, providing emotional support, and signposting families to other means of support.
Jon Sheehy, from Amber’s Army said: “Amber’s Army utilises all donations to help support the ethos of the charity with the costliest element being the creation of memory making experiences. ‘Creating Rainbows in the darkest of days’ is what Amber’s Army provides to families by providing multiple bespoke and unique experiences that include the ‘whole’ family and vary from family to family. Each experience is created from feedback from parents, siblings, the poorly child and wider family to ensure that we can create a memory that will live in the family’s thoughts when the child leaves them as moments of smiles, laughter and love.”
Finnbar’s Force was set up in 2017 after the loss of Finnbar Cork to a brain tumour in August 2016, just five months after he was diagnosed. The charity provides support to families with children under 18 who have been diagnosed with brain tumours and childhood cancers in Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire.
The Finnbar’s Force Family Centre – known as The Den – will help bring families of children with brain tumours and childhood cancers together, so they are able to receive both peer to peer and outside support. It will help meet the practical needs of those struggling with the cost-of-living crisis by hosting regular workshops, support groups, and events that bring families, caregivers, and community members together
Tristan Cork, CEO of Finnbar’s Force, added: “Finnbar’s Force are incredibly grateful to be selected as a beneficiary of the 2024 Cadent Foundation Community Fund. This generous support will help us develop and deliver our programmes to reach. more families facing childhood cancer, providing them with essential resources and access to practical and emotional support during their most challenging times”
Butterfly Effect Wellbeing is a non-judgmental charitable organisation which helps support people with mental illness and suicidal ideation. It is here to help, listen, guide and signpost. While it is not clinically qualified, all staff and volunteers are trained in mental health first aid and suicidal awareness and are able to help guide people and keep them safe for now.
Butterfly Effect Wellbeing, which many will recognise from its appearance on BBC’s DIY SOS last December, helps support people while they wait for other services to fill that much needed gap. There are lots of groups and activities daily at the centre to join in with and the kettle is always on for those who want a cup of tea and a chat.
