THE Lighthouse Charity has published its 2024 Impact Report, which highlights ‘record’ milestones and support for the construction community in the UK and Ireland.
The organisation delivered over £5 million of charitable support and provided a lifeline to 5,695 families last year – a 29% increase on the previous year. More than 55% of these cases were managed by the charity’s caseworkers, who navigated complex needs, ensured individuals accessed statutory entitlements, and secured third-party funding before allocating charity resources.
In addition, 5,761 counselling sessions and 5,684 family meals were funded during the course of the year.
The Lighthouse Charity provides 24/7 holistic support to construction workers and their families on all aspects of emotional, physical and financial wellbeing.
The report reveals that for every £1 of charitable spend, the organisation generated £12.19 of social value.
The ‘MakeItVisible on site initiative continues to serve as a touch point for the industry’s front line trades and site operatives. In 2024 the #MakeItVisible team visited 572 sites across the UK and Ireland, engaged with 28,070 site operatives, and managed 88 active rescues, which refer to people who have approached the charity’s team expressing suicidal thoughts and who have been directed to immediate support and safeguarding.
Sarah Bolton, CEO of the Lighthouse Charity, said, “Last year was another challenging one for our industry, so knowing that we have been able to respond to the demand for more support and deliver so many impactful and positive changes to both individuals and organisations is incredibly rewarding. But we’re not content with ‘doing the same’ and this is our opportunity to reflect on what has worked well and to identify where we need to improve our services.
“We are constantly exploring new pathways to amplify and extend our message of support to meet the needs of our diverse community. Ensuring our #MakeItVisible on Site initiative delivers every aspect of wellbeing support is just one of the ways that we will achieve this, along with engaging with new communities to bridge the industry’s skills gap and ensuring our workforce are equipped with the soft skills to navigate today’s challenges.
“No one should ever feel alone and support is just a step away. Whether you’re navigating an illness or injury, ensuring there’s a meal for the family or simply need to talk to someone, the message is simple, if you’re struggling, help is here.”
