Esh Construction has delivered more than £82,000 in social value contributions across Yorkshire linked to projects procured through the YORcivil2 Framework. A range of community-led initiatives have received grant support through Esh and YORhub’s YOR4Good Fund.
The YOR4Good Fund supports economic regeneration and enables contractors to reinvest in the communities where they work. Throughout the YORcivil2 framework, Esh delivered several projects across the region which has resulted in widespread community benefit.
Megan Roberts, Social Value Manager for Yorkshire, said: “Working in partnership with local organisations to deliver meaningful change is at the core of Esh’s values, and our team has really rallied behind the opportunity to support sports clubs, schools and charities in partnership with YORhub.”
In Cottingham, where Esh’s civil engineering division delivered the award-winning Cottingham and Orchard Park Flood Alleviation Scheme (COPFAS), £10,000 was invested in the development of a memory garden for Worklink, an employment training provider for people with learning disabilities.
Also tied to the scheme, a defibrillator was installed at Molescroft Pavilion in Beverley – the donation also formed part of a wider partnership with the Cadey Campaign to rollout the life-saving equipment across Beverley, Holderness and the wider Yorkshire area. Defibrillators were also subsequently provided to Filey School, the village of Greasborough and Driffield Wolds Food Bank.
A homeless charity in Rotherham received a community garden makeover thanks to £8,200 of secured funding. Lighthouse Homes, a 17-bed hostel in the town which was set up to give men over 18 24/7 support with homelessness, poverty and drug and alcohol abuse, had a garden refurbishment which created a space for tenants to engage in outdoor activities.
Esh used the funding to purchase materials and resources for the new garden area, including a space for residents to grow fruit and vegetables for the facility. The use of the outdoor area will provide a step in the right direction for residents on the road to recovery, helping to improve their mental health and wellbeing.
The Lighthouse Homes project was one of several contributions made as part of Esh’s £4.4 million public realm works on Rotherham Riverside. £2,000 was also provided to Rotherham Hospice to organise the inaugural Reindeer Run for schools in the town, with the funds supporting the set up and organisation costs for the event – a total of £26,883 was raised for the hospice as 28 schools and 6,400 students took part last December.
Megan added: “The spaces that we have created are more than just gardens — they’re essential places for connection, recovery and community wellbeing. I’m incredibly proud that we’ve helped create a dedicated area for people to come together, engage with nature, and improve their mental health. These kinds of long‑term investments form the backbone of genuine social value — supporting community living and making a lasting, positive contribution.”
Education sits as one of the main foundations of Esh’s Constructing Local strategy. Throughout the YORcivil2 Framework, Esh has been providing young people with access to careers in construction and enhancing their understanding of STEM, and particularly, construction careers, through a series of Get into STEM and employability workshops.
In sponsoring North Star 2024 in South Yorkshire, Esh not only provided a steady flow of Construction in the Curriculum workshops to more than 500 students throughout the event, but forged key relationships which continue to flourish almost 12 months on. As a Skills Street investor partner, Esh has since launched an interactive learning zone at the learning facility based at Gulliver’s Valley in Rotherham, which is due to officially open later this year.
These projects provide just a snapshot of more than 20 initiatives supported by Esh through the YOR4Good Fund, each one tailored to meet local needs and create lasting impact.
A YORhub spokesperson said: “YORhub are proud that YOR4Good was the first social value initiative of its kind in the country. We are delighted with the support provided by Esh Construction as a valued partner on the YORcivil2 framework agreement. Esh and the YOR4Good Fund’s achievements are a testament to YORhub’s commitment to social value and the communities we work in. We look forward to continuing our partnership through the YORcivil3 framework agreement.”
Through the YOR4Good Fund, and the subsequent YORcivil3 Framework, Esh continues to champion projects that leave a lasting legacy — building stronger communities, supporting local aspirations, and making a real difference across Yorkshire.
Working in partnership with local organisations to deliver meaningful change is at the core of Esh’s values, and our team has really rallied behind the opportunity to support sports clubs, schools and charities in partnership with YORhub.”
