NUVIA Helps Secure £23,000 for Local Charities Through the VINCI UK Foundation

Warrington-based TalkHub CIC has been awarded £5,000 to purchase new and improved gym equipment that will help expand its services beyond its current facility.
TalkHub uses boxing and physical activity to improve men’s mental health and tackle social isolation. By creating a supportive environment where difficult conversations can happen naturally, the organisation helps men build meaningful connections and peer support networks.
The funding will enable TalkHub to invest in portable equipment, allowing sessions to be delivered in community venues and making services more accessible to people who may face barriers relating to transport, confidence or mobility.

Hope has supported TalkHub for more than a year, championing its inclusive approach and working alongside the organisation through wellbeing initiatives and Early Careers activities.

The Beacon Centre is a community hub in Clayton, Manchester, providing support, activities and opportunities for local residents to connect and improve their wellbeing. Following a devastating fire in August 2024 that destroyed half of the building, the centre was forced to close for over a year before reopening in October 2025. The team is now focused on rebuilding services and creating an accessible community garden, providing a welcoming outdoor space where people of all ages and abilities can come together, learn new skills, reduce social isolation and improve their wellbeing.

Granted £6,840 towards building items to repave the ground and transform the centre’s outdoor space into an accessible community garden.

Their sponsor, Olivia Davis, first met volunteers from The Beacon Centre while visiting another local charity. After hearing how a devastating fire destroyed half of the centre, forcing it to close for more than a year, Olivia was inspired by the team’s resilience and determination to rebuild. Recognising the impact the closure would have had on service users who rely on the centre’s support, she was keen to help and supported the charity with its VINCI Foundation application to improve their outdoor area and make it more accessible to all.

Be Free Young Carers is the only independent charity in Oxfordshire dedicated exclusively to supporting young carers aged 8 to 17. The charity currently supports around 750 young carers across the county, many of whom can experience isolation as a result of their caring responsibilities. Alongside direct support for young people, Be Free Young Carers works with schools to develop sustainable support networks, ensuring young carers have access to the understanding and resources they need. With limited provision currently available in North Oxfordshire, expanding these services is essential to creating a stronger sense of community and ensuring more young carers receive the support they deserve.

To expand their team and their offerings, they have been awarded £5000.00 funding!

Their sponsor, Audrey, first connected with the charity 5 years ago, supporting them with a previous VINCI Foundation application.

Manchester Imagination Library is a book-gifting charity, affiliated to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library. Run by volunteers, they provide a free age appropriate book through the post every single month to registered children from birth to 5 years of age.

The VINCI Foundation have granted MIL with £6,000 for books (and postage). The funding will help provide books for approximately 200 children, supporting early literacy development and encouraging a lifelong love of reading among families who may otherwise have limited access to books.

Gini chose to support Manchester Imagination Library because of her own experience as a parent and the positive impact reading had on her daughter from an early age. Seeing firsthand how books helped develop curiosity, imagination and early learning skills, Gini felt a strong connection to the charity’s mission of giving every child the opportunity to develop a love of reading. She also recognises the wider benefits of the programme, having found story-time sessions invaluable as a new mother, providing opportunities to connect with other parents, reduce feelings of isolation and support wellbeing during the early years of parenthood.

Making a Difference Together

The success of these applications highlights the impact NUVIA employees can have when they champion causes that matter to their local communities. Through the support of the VINCI UK Foundation, £22,840 has been awarded to four charities connected to NUVIA colleagues, helping them to continue delivering valuable services to those who need them most.
Congratulations to Hope Crabtree, Audrey Rogers, Olivia Davis and Gini Freeman, and thank you for supporting these fantastic organisations and helping secure funding that will make a lasting difference in our communities.