Two community-minded Tyneside organisations are in line for a cash windfall of £1,000 each, thanks to our pioneering Community Champions programme.

Based in North Shields, Mindstars is a children’s mental health group that works alongside parents and schools to promote the mental wellbeing of young people in the area. According to spokesperson Marisa May, they are seeing a sharp rise in need for this service:

“We provide a safe place for children to attend wellbeing clubs, where they can learn some basic steps to improve their mental health. We also provide support for schools and families and partner with local business to maximise our impact in the community.

“The impact of the pandemic has seen more mental health disorders nationally and, unfortunately, this is echoed in the communities we serve. With this kind donation from Persimmon we can secure more equipment needed to run our sessions and deliver a much-needed walk-in service., opening the door to many more people in need of support.”

New Fordley Juniors is part of a football club based in the heart of an area of north Tyneside facing many financial and other challenges. The club operates no less than 25 teams, involving 350 players from age six upwards.

Club spokesman Andrew Purvis said: “We’re looking to buy several portable goals to improve the training facilities for our players. Given the price of these items and the number of teams we have, this will cost over £1,000. While we fundraise relentlessly throughout the year, we try our best to keep subscriptions low, so this is something we can only afford thanks to the generosity of Persimmon.”

Debbie Zaben, regional sales director for Persimmon Homes North East, added: “These are challenging times for millions across the UK, not least here in the north east, so we salute those community-based organisations that strive to make a difference and bring something positive to people’s lives in this region. We hope that our donations can help Mindstars and New Fordley Juniors to achieve their ambitions in the months ahead and we wish them all the very best for the future.”

To apply for community champions, visit the website.