Birmingham business raises £64,000 donation for homeless support service

SIFA Fireside’s Michael McMillan, Melissa Roche, Natalie Allen with Colemans’ Mark Coleman Birmingham demolition contractor Colemans celebrated 60 years in business with a £64,000 donation to local charity, SIFA Fireside, after a year of fundraising activities.

Colemans, a family business founded by John and Norah Coleman in October 1962, hosted a 60^th anniversary dinner where they presented a cheque for £60,000 to Birmingham-based SIFA Fireside.

The Digbeth charity supports clients in their recovery from the effects of homelessness as well as working to prevent people in Birmingham from falling into homelessness.

Colemans employees helped to raise £30,000 with a series of fundraising activities since March 2022 and the figure was then matched by the business. An additional £4,080.68 was raised on their 60^th Anniversary celebratory evening, taking the total donation figure to £64,080.68.

Melissa Roche, head of Fundraising, Communications and Volunteering at SIFA Fireside said; “Colemans have given us invaluable support over the years, but this amazing amount of money will have a huge positive impact on the health and happiness of the homeless and vulnerably housed people of Birmingham. With the cost of living crisis beginning to have an impact, this is more important now than ever.”

CEO of Colemans, Mark Coleman, said: Our support for SIFA Fireside spans many years, built on early relationships between my grandparents Norah and John Coleman and the founding member of the charity, Sister Sabina.

“I’m proud to have continued this support throughout the years and in particular, helping the needy and vulnerable in the city of Birmingham. The donation to SIFA Fireside was made possible thanks to the efforts of many people, and we’re delighted to be able to help support the community in this way.”

The funds raised will help to keep the doors open at SIFA Fireside’s Drop-In Centre where clients are offered tenancy support, employability advice and money management sessions as well as hot food, clean clothes and shower facilities.