Founded in 1988, The Ethel Trust offers day and residential experiences on its community boat from Victoria Quays in Sheffield and Staniland Marina in Thorne, north of Doncaster. Each year, the charity welcomes aboard around 1,000 people with very diverse needs, from young people with autistic spectrum conditions to elderly folk with stroke, dementia or mobility issues. Aiming to double this number, The Ethel Trust commissioned a second state-of-the-art, fully accessible barge in 2022, which the VINCI UK Foundation will help complete with a £3,000 grant for safety equipment.

As sponsor, Martin Hammond, a senior project engineer at Actemium Automation Yorkshire, will assist with health and safety design, along with the running of trips and fundraising. “The Ethel Trust does incredible work making the joy of being out on the canal or river – and the wellbeing benefits it brings – accessible to all. I’m really excited to get involved through the VINCI Foundation and help make a difference to our community,” he said.