The River Manchester receives £3,000 VINCI UK Foundation grant for new shop floor
The donation will help the Openshaw-based organisation to freshen up its charity shop, which offers retail training and experience to ease vulnerable people’s entry into the world of work, as well as supplying preloved goods to those struggling with furniture poverty.
Continuing its mission to tackle social exclusion and strengthen the communities around its businesses, the VINCI UK Foundation has granted Openshaw-based charity The River Manchester £3,000 for a new shop floor.
From its charity shop on Ashton Old Road, The River Manchester provides affordable preloved goods and furniture along with valuable retail training and experience to help those struggling with unemployment due to health conditions or trauma from domestic abuse back into meaningful work
“The River Manchester relies solely on donations and the hard work of our volunteers, so we are very grateful for the VINCI UK Foundation grant, which will enable us to replace the flooring in our charity shop and create a fresher and more welcoming retail space,” said Lydia Chan, Chief Executive of The River Manchester.
Besides the charity shop, The River Manchester also runs a café and foodbank, assists survivors of domestic abuse to move to safety and with house painting to secure their tenancy, and holds workshops to support vulnerable people in recovering their mental health and wellbeing.
Since its inception in 2016, the VINCI UK Foundation has combined almost £1.4 million in financial donations with the practical skills and expertise of VINCI employees to help over 200 charities or community projects championing social inclusion. Working together with these organisations, the VINCI UK Foundation aims to improve access to training, employment, housing, healthcare, mobility, and leisure activities for society’s most disadvantaged.
Serving as sponsor, Janette Jenkins from VINCI Energies business Actemium will support The River Manchester with her time and skills throughout 2023 and is particularly keen to become involved with the new knitting club initiative and supply knitted baby clothes to sell in the café.
“The River Manchester provides a vital service to help those with low skill or low confidence as a result of poor health or domestic abuse muster the courage to engage in training that gently ushers them to identify their strengths and job aspirations, be ready for work, and restore their mental health and wellbeing. The team’s compassion, understanding, and emotional support has a truly transformative impact on vulnerable people’s lives, and it is both a pleasure and honour to support their incredible work,” she said.
Find out more about The River Manchester and the VINCI UK Foundation.
