A Wells charity has been given a £2,000 boost thanks to a donation from a leading fashion brand.

During the summer, 22 22 colleagues from global fashion brand Mulberry, based in Chilcompton, took on the National Three Peaks challenge, climbing Ben Nevis in Scotland, Scafell Pike in the Lake District and Snowdon in Wales over three days.

The team raised over £9,500 for the Mulberry Somerset Community Fund (MSCF), administered by Somerset Community Foundation (SCF), which distributes money to local charities and good causes to make a difference in local communities across Somerset.

Yesterday (Wednesday, 9th November), some representatives from Mulberry visited The Lawrence Centre in Wells, a community-centred charity providing day opportunities for older people, including those living with health issues, memory loss and facing social isolation. Alongside this, they offer education, advice, and guidance for those caring for an older person.

During the visit, founder Maggie Charlesworth thanked the Mulberry team for their £2,000 donation to The Lawrence Centre, saying: "it's an amazing achievement climbing the Three Peaks, and the money is enormously appreciated. We hope to update some furniture, carpets and other equipment that is very tired and needs replacing."

The Lawrence Centre in Wells

Rosie Wollacott Phillips, Head of Sustainability at Mulberry said "Our partnership with Somerset Community Foundation and the creation of our own Mulberry Somerset Community Fund in 2021 has been a great way for us to have a broad impact in our community. We're proud to support the excellent work of mental health charities and organisations in the county and thank The Lawrence Centre and Axe Valley Men's Shed for spending time with us and showing us around."

Mulberry also visited the Axe Valley Men's Shed in Cheddar, which offers practical workshops and activities to build a social environment for men to connect, converse and create. Due to the popularity of the Axe Valley group, now boasting over 60 members, they have taken on an additional unit, allowing them to continue to increase their membership and the number of activities offered. Recently they have started guided Tai Chi sessions for members to work on their mobility and balance and digging over a new allotment site in preparation for planting a Heritage orchard. The donation from Mulberry will help cover some of their rent costs for the next 12 months.

The other charities benefitting from funds raised by Team Mulberry are Therapeutic Art Group in Somerton and Bath Mind.