BWUH Ltd. the organisation behind ICC Belfast, Waterfront Hall and Ulster Hall, has announced Inspire, the largest mental health, learning disability and wellbeing charity in Northern Ireland, as its selected charity partner for 2024. The partnership will see the BWUH team organise various fundraising events in aid of Inspire, whilst also volunteering their time to the charity throughout the year.
Lisa McElherron, Director of Insight, Engagement and Innovation at Inspire, said, “Inspire are delighted to be partnering with BWUH Ltd. Our recent polling shows that 1 in 5 people in Northern Ireland have poor/very poor mental health and 60% of people agreed that the pressures of the last few years have made them less likely to open up about their mental health as they don’t want to worry others during difficult times.
It is impressive to see an organisation like BWUH Ltd. prioritising mental health and wellbeing of their staff team but also the general public.
"The support BWUH Ltd. can provide in helping us reach more people has never been more important. We look forward to working together in promoting the partnership, raising awareness, community engagement and bringing our expertise to the staff team enhancing their approach to positive mental health and wellbeing.”
Inspire was selected following a company-wide call for nominations from almost 300 employees which were shortlisted before three organisations were invited to pitch to the BWUH Team Engagement Committee. The Committee focused its selection criteria on locality, alignment in organisational values and available opportunities for BWUH Ltd. to get involved with and deliver meaningful opportunities to ensure the partnership is mutually beneficial.
Clare McCann, HR Manager and a member of the BWUH Ltd. Diversity Champions Committee said, “Our charity partners are incredibly important to us as they help BWUH Ltd. build a culture that is open, safe and inclusive.
We deliver for the selected organisation by fundraising and leveraging our networks on their behalf whilst also improving the quality of life for employees by offering training and development that allows them to learn and grow through our ongoing collaboration.
"For instance, throughout our time working with our outgoing charity partner, Autism NI, we worked to achieve our Autism Impact Award which has supported us to provide greater inclusivity across our venues. We look forward to building on initiatives that deliver not only a lasting impact for our venues, but for Belfast and for Northern Ireland too.”
Julia Corkey, Chief Executive of ICC Belfast, Waterfront Hall and Ulster Hall, said, “Inspire works with people living with mental ill health, intellectual disability, autism and addictions to ensure they live with dignity and realise their full potential.
Diversity and Inclusion is a key pillar across our venues so it’s wonderful to support another organisation that is aligned to our values.
"Our venues make a significant contribution to the region’s economy, but we’re an organisation that is also focused on our social and cultural impact, and our charity partners are key in supporting us to realise our ESG commitment. We’re delighted to announce our partnership with Inspire and we look forward to establishing a mutually beneficial partnership over the coming months.”
Formerly Belfast Waterfront, ICC Belfast is the region’s only purpose-built international convention centre. A £29.5m extension, unveiled in 2016, significantly increased the venue’s capacity and put Belfast in a position to compete globally and subsequently its opportunity to deliver a legacy for the city. The Harkin Summit which took place in 2022 saw ICC Belfast undergoing transformational change before, during and post the event to enhance its credentials as an accessible, diverse and inclusive venue. This included over 80 per cent of staff completing JAM Card training and the installation of a Changing Place in the Riverside Foyer, complete with a peninsular toilet, grab rails and a changing bench for visitors requiring additional support.
