BFT has been in a charity partnership with the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity since 2022.
The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity is the only one in our trade that gives emotional, physical, and financial support to construction workers and their families.
They provide a 24/7 Construction Industry Helpline which provides a range of free and confidential wellbeing support services and this is complemented by their free Construction Industry Helpline App which offers expert guidance on a huge variety of wellbeing issues.
Going above and beyond, they also offer a variety of free construction-focused training programmes, including hour-long interactive wellbeing masterclasses and the MHFA England-approved Mental Health First Aider course.
What Lighthouse Club Means To BFT And The Industry?
Jaqui, our HR Manager, has recently completed the Mental Health First Aid training provided by the Lighthouse Charity and found it to be an incredibly meaningful experience.
She highlights that the practical and user-friendly newsletters address a lot of the issues specific to the construction industry. What truly sets the Lighthouse Club apart is their commitment to supporting both individuals and businesses, which then enables companies to provide the much-needed support to their employees.
Jaqui notes that mental health training is often costly and overlooked due to other priorities, but the Lighthouse Club's free services allow more individuals to have access to invaluable training and become aware of the importance of mental health.
“The construction industry is male-dominated and this demographic still struggles with asking for help or acknowledging they may need something, so support targeting construction, without judgement, is really needed.”
In the UK, two construction workers take their own lives every working day, and a fifth of work-related illnesses stem from stress, depression, and anxiety. These figures are why Lighthouse Club’s ‘Help Inside the Hard Hat’ campaign has been on a mission to raise awareness of poor mental health within our industry.
“The help inside the hard hat campaign is proactive… All their resources are free, and they rely 100% on people in the industry supporting the industry. I know lots of companies donate and support charities but it’s rare to be able to support a charity that in turn supports our workers.”
BFT believes in giving back to the industry that has shaped us and to our hardworking people who make it all happen, and our partnership with the Lighthouse Club allows us to make a meaningful impact in supporting our workers.
Improving Safety & Mental Wellbeing In Construction
At BFT, we feel passionately about doing our bit to help increase safety and wellbeing standards across the industry - that includes our workers’ mental health. The Lighthouse Club's Mental Health First Aid Training provides us with a valuable opportunity to offer support for the mental well-being of our workers in the industry.
This is why we have taken proactive measures by encouraging our team to complete the training to better support our workers in every possible way. With the welfare of our workers in mind, we have been proud advocates of mast climbers, and offering our workers an option that significantly reduces unnecessary stress and creates a safer and more manageable work environment.
If you share our dedication to the well-being of your workers and are interested in supporting the charity or taking part in their help Inside the Hard Hat Campaign, visit www/lighthouseclub.org.
