Mayor’s Charity raises £32,000 for Sector3

Fundraising by the Mayor of Stockport over the past year has raised £32,000 for the town’s Voluntary, Community & Faith based and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) sector infrastructure organisation, Sector3.

Sector3 has revealed it will use funds raised by the Mayor’s Charity to reinvest in the borough’s volunteering offer. Stockport’s VCFSE sector currently relies on £105 million worth of time annually donated by volunteers.

Adrian Nottingham (pictured left), Mayor of Stockport for the 2021/22 term said:

“It was a real privilege working with Sector3 during my year as the Mayor of Stockport. Knowing that every penny raised would be effectively used to support and multiply the amazing benefits brought by our many Stockport based volunteers and volunteer groups gave real impetus to our fundraising efforts. A huge thank you goes out to everyone involved in the many fundraising efforts and to all those who gave so generously. I know that many communities across Stockport will be the winners as a result of these funds being placed in the hands of Sector3.”

Chief Executive of Sector3, Jo McGrath (pictured right), said:

“We are so thankful to Adrian and the Mayor’s Charity for recognising the significance of Stockport’s VCFSE sector in supporting vibrant, healthy and inclusive communities. This money will go a long way towards protecting and developing the volunteering culture in Stockport so that the sector can continue to support communities in need and beyond.”

Stockport has an estimated 1,670 charities, social enterprises and volunteer led groups, supporting local people with diverse issues such as hunger, homelessness, cancer, mental health, environmental protection and animal welfare. Established shortly before the Covid-19 pandemic, Sector3 has since helped to establish lines of communication between organisations and led a crowdfunding campaign to support the charitable sector with its emergency response to the pandemic.

Since then the organisation have grown their service offering with the recruitment of an Equality, Diversity & Inclusion Lead and Engagement & Partnerships Lead working with groups on the ground to tackle inequality and support a sector hit by an increase in demand and shrinking resources.

The Mayor’s Charity chooses a partner to donate funds to for each mayoral term. Fundraising events are held throughout the Mayor’s term to raise funds, this year’s events included an abseil down Fred Perry House as well as the annual Mayor’s Charity Ball at Stockport Town Hall.