Lighthouse Charity

Staff from Sacyr UK, the contractor building the new Velindre Cancer Centre (nVCC), were visited by Lighthouse, the Construction Charity to help raise awareness of the services available to them should they need it. 

Lighthouse is a charity that provides emotional, physical and financial wellbeing support to those in the construction industry, as well as their families. Construction is recognised as one of the UK’s industries that has one of the highest rates of suicide, with statistics showing that every working day in the UK at least two construction workers take their own lives. Also stress, depression or anxiety accounts for 20% of all work-related illness in the construction industry. 

That’s why Sacyr UK invited Ceryn Turner, Partnership Manager of the Lighthouse Charity for Wales and the South West, to visit the nVCC site. She chatted to the site team about the work Lighthouse does and about the 24/7 helpline it provides, which offers help and advice on wellbeing issues from mental health to financial support, as well as a ‘Self Support App’ for construction workers to have easy access to expert advice.

Gordon Emerson, Sacyr UK’s Health and Safety Manager at nVCC, said: “We are extremely grateful to receive a visit from the Lighthouse to chat through the shocking statistics about our industry and tell them about their charitable support and services. 

“It’s important that our employees are well looked after, both physically and mentally, and are aware of the services available to them should they be struggling with their emotional, physical, or financial wellbeing.” 

Ceryn Turner, Partnership Manager of the Lighthouse charity in Wales and the South West, said: “It was great to meet so many of the site team at nVCC and talk them through the issues we are seeing in the industry, as well as chatting to them about anything they are concerned about. 

“As a charity, it is great that contractors like Sacyr UK offer time for site workers to come and chat to us so we can let them know that there is immediate help available should they need it. We are just a phone call or a click away and here to help as much as we can.”

For more information about Lighthouse, visit: https://www.lighthouseclub.org/free-24-7-support/.”