Thirty-two organisations across the North West have come together to deliver Sovini’s Big Community Christmas, an initiative which has seen over 10k people receive vital support during the festive season.
The Sovini Group, an integrated supply chain solution for the housing sector that generated £48.8 million in social value during 2022/23, came together with community partners to deliver a range of initiatives to support communities this Christmas.
The initiative saw the delivery of:
- 14 festive community events
- 18 food, care and toy packages
- Support packs and heating vouchers for One Vision Housing’s vulnerable customers
- Selection boxes for schools
- Sponsoring of warm hubs
Sefton O.P.E.R.A, a charitable voluntary group that provides services to enhance the well-being of older people, received a food package from the initiative.
Vicki Martlow, a spokesperson from O.P.E.R.A said:
“Rising costs have resulted in some of our clients being frightened to turn their heating on. We are incredibly grateful for the donation of this food pallet which will enable us to support hundreds of people locally.”
Roy Williams, Chief Executive Officer at The Sovini Group said:
“As the cost-of-living continues to rise, we know many will be finding this time of year challenging. We believe in creating a better future for the communities we serve and thanks to our people and partnerships, together we are creating opportunities and changing lives this Christmas.”
A survey by the Office for National Statistics found that one in five adults across the UK were unable to keep warm in their homes, with 46% of adults spending less money on food due to rising costs.
The Group’s registered housing providers, One Vision Housing and Pine Court Housing Association, are helping their customers through financial inclusion services, offering bespoke support to customers to help them make the most out of their money. From advice on how to manage debt, help accessing benefits, funding for the use of local food pantries, to support with rent payments through a Hardship Fund.
Through its development programme, the Group plans to deliver over 1,000 new affordable energy efficient homes across the North West in the next five years.
Group member Sovini Construction raised over £10.4k to support Sovini’s Big Community Christmas initiative, thanks to donations from its supply chain.
James Flannery, Director of Construction and Land at The Sovini Group said:
“We continue to build more than homes, we create thriving communities and are committed to making a positive impact for our residents. As we strive to create a better future, these initiatives will provide much-needed support for those in need thanks to our partners.”
As part of a Discover our Purpose campaign, the Group also supported Cash for Kid’s Mission Christmas, which is set to help over 35k local families by ensuring every child wakes up to a present under their tree this Christmas.
Employees across the Group raised over £2.5k, donated toys and volunteered their time by helping to pack parcels, with Sovini Trade Supplies and Sovini Property Services also dropping off deliveries to community centres.
Hayley Smallman, Senior Corporate Fundraising Executive at Radio City’s Cash for Kids said:
“We are incredibly grateful to The Sovini Group for their support, not only at Christmas, but for all they do to help those in need throughout the year. They have helped to make such a big difference through their donations and volunteer time to Mission Christmas this year, we can’t thank them enough.”
