HALTON Housing Trust is looking for local charities to support during the next financial year.

Every year the Trust supports two charities in a variety of ways, from providing expertise and teams of its employees to undertake building and improvement works to raising money through sponsored events.  Since 2006 the Trust’s support has totalled approximately £150,000

The Trust is now inviting two charities to apply for support in 2011/12.

Nick Atkin, Chief Executive at Halton Housing Trust, said: “Working with local charities is one of the ways we try to play our part in putting something back into the communities in which we work.

“As well as being a major employer and the largest single landlord in the area, we are also a business with a social conscience and are keen to play our part and support local causes, especially during these tough economic times.”

During the 2010/11 financial year the Trust’s chosen charities were Halton Haven Hospice and Norton Priory Museum and Gardens and benefited from over £70,000 of support from the Trust.

The Trust helped the hospice to successfully secure £346,000 grant funding for the refurbishment of an in-patient wing and organised for their contractors to carry out discounted work while giving up their time for free.

Every member of the Trust’s staff also gave up at least one of their ‘volunteer days’ over a two week period  carrying out vital refurbishment works totalling over £30,000 which included painting, fixing lights and improving plumbing at the 900-year-old Norton Priory.

Claire McDade, Director of Norton Priory, said: “We are a small charitable trust so the work that Halton Housing Trust staff carried out for us was absolutely invaluable”.

“We cannot thank them enough for the help they have given us to make sure a piece of local history will be here for future generations”.

Any charities interested in being supported by Halton Housing Trust should prepare a short submission about why they should be selected.  These are then considered by the Trust’s employees who vote for who they want to support in the year ahead. 

For more information contact Vikki Mack on 0151 510 5106 or email vikki.mack@haltonhousing.org

The deadline for submissions to be received is Friday 18th March.