Buttle’s has agreed its first charity partnership after teaming up with the Frank Bruno Foundation.
The foundation was launched by the British boxing legend earlier this year to provide a safe environment for young people aged 13 and above to improve their mental wellbeing and support their recovery from mental ill health.
Buttle’s, which has four branches across St Albans, Enfield, Kentish Town, and Leighton Buzzard, has become the foundation’s first official corporate sponsor, and is keen to raise awareness of the issues the foundation is tackling across the building and construction sector.
Ian Church, Managing Director at Buttle’s, said: “Frank is a national treasure, and we are proud to be able to support the wonderful work his Foundation is undertaking. As a family-owned business that upholds those values, we feel the Foundation is a perfect fit for us, our customers, supply chain and employees. Mental Health can affect anyone, and it’s widely recognised that the construction industry isn’t without its own challenges on this issue.
Commercial Manager, Hannah Brunton added: “Mental health has been a taboo subject for too long, not least in the building and construction trade. But that stigma is being eroded and we want to help break down further barriers.”
The Frank Bruno Foundation delivers a Round by Round 12-week wellbeing and non-contact boxing programme which is complemented by a need-led wraparound support service. It has been developed for anyone aged 13 and above with a considered early assessment-led from the age of 10.
Building self-esteem, confidence, resilience, and discipline are key ambitions the foundation sets out to achieve with programme participants, while also raising public awareness of mental ill health.
Frank Bruno Foundation Chief Executive, Nick Smith said: “Based on Frank’s name and reputation, we have to have people on board who are morally and ethically aligned to our Foundation goals.
“We have had a great deal of corporate support with the construction and development of this site but Buttle’s are one of the very first to come and speak to us since we have been open. The enthusiasm we have had from Ian, Hannah and the entire Buttle’s team since day one has been absolutely captivating.
“Mental health doesn’t distinguish people by age. We have groups from age 13 upwards and it gives us an opportunity to harness the mental health problems with which they identify.
“Rather than leading into gang culture and drugs and other misdemeanours that they could go into, boxing has a massive appeal. The course we offer might be the only time these youngsters are given instruction which they follow in their whole life. They will carry that with them outside the ring and into society and it will make them stronger.”
To find out more about the Frank Bruno Foundation, visit https://www.thefrankbrunofoundation.co.uk
For more information on Buttle’s, visit https://buttles.com/
