Refurbishing the MASH Hub with Bruntwood
Linking grantholders to specialists with key expertise, to provide crucial support to address critical gaps in provision, is central to the OCT’s Funding Plus programme. Sharing resources from our networks that may not be easily accessible to others can provide a crucial safety net in times of need.
This was recently the case with Manchester Action on Street Health (MASH), an OCT grantholder based in central Manchester who provide essential support for female sex workers and women experiencing sexual assault. Last year, they suffered a major roof leak, forcing them to temporarily close their services. Fundraising efforts enabled them to repair the roof, but staff were then left with a different problem to solve: managing the full refurbishment of the inside of the building, including new carpeting, decorating and electronics & lighting, to fix the internal damage caused by the roof leak.
Finding contractors for the refurbishment proved time consuming, however, and the piecemeal responsibility quickly became a full-time job for the charity team, who found themselves overwhelmed by the unfamiliarity of the work and the fear of spending valuable money hiring unknown contractors.
Through Funding Plus, MASH was introduced to Oliver Gallagher, Senior Building Surveyor, and Sam Bailey, Graduate Building Surveyor at Bruntwood. Oliver & Sam used their Bruntwood Cares Hours to manage the refurbishment on MASH’s behalf.
After a survey of the site, they created a scope of the necessary refurbishment works and managed a three-party tender between commercial contractors – trusted suppliers that Bruntwood had links to and were confident in – to ensure best value and transparency. They critically reviewed the three quotes received, advised MASH on which was most suitable, and then handled the negotiations, leading to reduced rates and pro-bono materials, such as free carpeting, saving the charity nearly £10,000 in total:
“To have somebody with that expertise working in our best interests was genuinely magical. For us, there was a lot of money involved which we wanted to ensure was used effectively. Working with Oliver & Sam through Funding Plus meant that right from the outset, we could feel safe. Their expertise provided a safety net.” — Kate Percival, MASH
And working with a charity provided a different kind of challenge for Sam. MASH had a strict, fixed budget with no room for overspending. The experience offered a unique professional development opportunity:
“It was a different perspective, almost like a consultant role rather than an internal client role, which I enjoyed and was extremely useful for my development. And it was great to see how my contribution helped and how much my work benefited the charity. A real win-win.” — Sam Bailey, Bruntwood
One of the most significant impacts of the collaboration was the time it returned to the MASH team. While Oliver & Sam managed the practicalities of the works, staff at MASH were able to focus entirely on handling the disruption to their service users, ensuring they continued to receive support whilst the building was closed for renovations.
The project resulted in a full renovation of nearly every room, featuring new flooring, fresh paint, and repaired ceilings. Crucially, the commercial contractor – Contact One – was able to complete the works ahead of schedule. They then used the extra day to clean up, put notice boards back up and move furniture back into place, going above and beyond for MASH. Today, thanks to Oliver & Sam, MASH and the team at Contact One, the MASH hub is bright and shiny once more, providing a secure and welcoming environment for the women it serves:
“Since MASH has been refurbished, it feels like home. You get more relaxed…I like the new atmosphere and how they’ve decorated the tables and put our artwork into it. It makes it look bigger and more spacious. You’ve got a quiet area which I love.” – MASH Service User
