Northampton Saints Foundation is delighted to have received a generous grant from The National Lottery Community Fund, enabling the charity to strengthen its Health and Wellbeing provision through the appointment of a full-time Health and Wellbeing Manager and investment in counselling qualifications for six members of staff.
The funding marks an important milestone in the Foundation’s commitment to improving the mental health and emotional wellbeing of children, young people and adults across Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes.
Thanks to National Lottery players, the Foundation has appointed a dedicated Health and Wellbeing Manager on a three-year contract, providing the leadership and expertise needed to develop and embed wellbeing support across the organisation.
Alongside this, six members of staff have begun Level 2 and Level 3 counselling qualifications, developing valuable skills to strengthen the support available to individuals accessing the Foundation’s programmes.
Investing in People and Building Stronger Communities
At the heart of Northampton Saints Foundation is a passionate team working every day to create positive opportunities and improve lives.
Supporting more than 5,000 individuals each year through its Education, Social Inclusion, Employability and Skills, Health and Wellbeing, and Heritage programmes, the Foundation works with people facing challenges including poor mental health, social isolation, low confidence, educational difficulties and barriers to employment.
Recognising the growing need for emotional and mental health support, the Foundation has made Health and Wellbeing a key organisational priority.
The appointment of a full-time Health and Wellbeing Manager will provide dedicated leadership to develop programmes, support colleagues, strengthen partnerships and ensure wellbeing is embedded throughout the Foundation’s work.
Equally important is the investment in existing staff. With six team members undertaking counselling qualifications, the Foundation is building greater knowledge, confidence and practical skills across its workforce.
This training will help staff strengthen their listening and communication skills, recognise emotional and mental health challenges, and respond appropriately when individuals need additional support.
Developing a Sustainable Health and Wellbeing Offer
The National Lottery community funding goes beyond creating a new role and providing training. It is helping the Foundation establish a stronger, more sustainable approach to health and wellbeing that will benefit communities for years to come.
Over the three-year period, the Foundation will develop its provision, strengthen existing activities and explore new ways to support individuals who may otherwise struggle to access appropriate help.
This includes building on existing work to improve mental health, reduce loneliness and isolation, develop confidence and resilience, and create safe environments where people feel listened to and valued.
By developing skills across departments, the Foundation is ensuring health and wellbeing becomes a shared responsibility, with staff better equipped to recognise challenges, have supportive conversations and signpost individuals to appropriate services.
Creating a Lasting Impact
One of the most important aspects of this investment is its potential to create a lasting legacy.
The three-year funding will help establish strong foundations for the future, while the counselling qualifications will ensure valuable skills and knowledge remain within the organisation long after the initial investment.
Jordan Letts, The Foundation’s CEO commented:
"We are incredibly grateful to The National Lottery Community Fund, Reaching Communities and National Lottery players for making this investment possible. As our Foundation continues to grow, so does our responsibility to ensure we have the right people, skills and support in place to meet the needs of our communities.
The appointment of a full-time Health and Wellbeing Manager is a significant step forward, and seeing six members of our team begin their counselling qualifications is equally exciting. This is about investing in our people, developing their confidence and giving them the tools to make an even greater difference.
We want health and wellbeing to be at the heart of everything we do, and this funding is helping us build the expertise and foundations to achieve that ambition."
Northampton Saints Foundation extends its sincere thanks to The National Lottery Community Fund and National Lottery players for their generous support and commitment to helping communities thrive.
By investing in our people, strengthening our expertise and developing our Health and Wellbeing provision, we are building a stronger Foundation and creating opportunities for lasting positive change.