The Mayor's Charities

The chosen charities for the year are the Butterwick Hospice and the Moses Project.

Donate to the Mayor's Charity Fund on his JustGiving webpage

Butterwick Hospice

For over 40 years, Butterwick Hospice has supported local people and communities across the regions of Teesside and County Durham. The hospice provides holistic care for children and adults experiencing a life-limiting illness, as well as support for their families and loved ones. In the words of their founder, Mary Butterwick OBE: "This place is all about love. Without the love of the community, it can't exist."

The Moses Project

The Moses Project is a registered charity which provides guidance, mentoring and support to men aged 25 and above who are grappling with substance misuse issues, often coupled with experiences of homelessness. Each year, they welcome approximately 250 men; a dynamic mix of new faces, long-term beneficiaries, and those who return to lend a hand as volunteers.

The project's approach is grounded in compassionate, non-judgemental care, balanced with firm yet fair boundaries. They prioritise the basics first: providing a hot meal, clean clothes, and finding them a safe place to sleep. Once these immediate needs are met, the project then starts the long-term journey to rehabilitation, working tirelessly to help them regain control of their lives.

Through one-to-one mentoring, The Moses Project guides the men into rehabilitation and accompany them during their transition back into the community. This comprehensive approach has profound results: freedom from addiction, escape from poverty, enhanced self-esteem, independence, lives transformed and reclaimed.

Moreover, it fosters reconnection with families. Men are reunited with their children, partners, wider family and friends. This stability contributes to reducing reoffending rates, thereby creating safer communities. The Moses Project believes in the power of change and the potential within each individual to achieve it.