Stockton on Tees charity Senses Wellbeing Centre CIC’s future is looking much brighter after scooping £50,000 in the Building Futures health category following the public vote.

Karen Winspear of Senses Wellbeing Centre met up with Teesside regional managing director Sean Taylor this week following the announcement of the top prize winners.

Karen said: "We were absolutely bowled over to learn we have been awarded this funding of £50,000 and would like to thank Persimmon Homes for this wonderful, generous charity scheme and also the many people out there who took the trouble to vote for us - it''s just fantastic.

"Our work involves providing fitness and wellbeing for those who often face barriers to fitness which includes children and adults with special needs and disabilities, those with profound disability. This money is going to be used predominantly to pay our rent and will make such a huge difference to us by relieving some of the pressure we have been under since the arrival of the pandemic. We work hard on our own fund raising, but like many charities, this has been very difficult over the last 18 months and this injection of money is a wonderful early Christmas present for us."

Sean Taylor added: “We are so pleased that Senses Wellbeing Centre won the second runner up prize in this year’s round of Building Futures. The fact they did so well in the vote demonstrates just how much their great work is recognised and appreciated by the local community here.

“We know what a difference this money will make in securing the centre’s future and it is good to see the campaign doing what is was created for by helping and supporting young people in our region.”