Selco News

A ground-breaking community hub in Walthamstow being built using plant-based materials has won support through our Community Heroes campaign.

Higham Hill Hub is building one of the UK’s first social buildings using Hempcrete - a sustainable, carbon-capturing material made from hemp shiv, the woody stem of the hemp plant, and lime.

The hub supports young people, families and vulnerable groups with activities, climate education and local projects.

Now the group has been named as a Selco Community Hero, winning £1,000 of building materials to spend in store with us, that will be used to fit out the inside of the building to welcome the community back in.

Max Dewdney, from Higham Hill Hub, said: “We are thrilled to be named as a winner of Selco’s fantastic Community Heroes campaign.

“Our goal is to be a hub to facilitate, host and deliver a wide range of activities and seasonal events for all generations of the community, bringing people together to build relationships.

“We are really excited about our new building. Every screw, shelf and strip of timber will help bring this visionary space to life – and Selco’s support is going to make a huge difference.”

We’re thrilled to be helping dozens of good causes across the country through Community Heroes. Now in its fifth year, this year’s prize pot stands at an incredible £57,500, split into 40 individual prizes of £1,000 to spend in store, alongside a £10,000 cash prize for an overall winner, £5,000 for second place and £2,500 for third.

Simon Humpage, Head of Multi-Channel Marketing at Selco, said: “Community Heroes was created to help good causes that make a difference to people’s lives – and Higham Hill Hub certainly fits the bill.

“This eco-friendly building will be well used and appreciated by people in and around Walthamstow and we’re delighted to be a part of it.

“We have had some fantastic entries already this year but we’re always hungry for more so don’t delay, get those nominations submitted today.”

Plans to create a petting farm in Dewsbury - run by young people with additional needs – have taken a step forward after the project won building materials through Community Heroes.

Friends of Ravenshall is planning to launch the small farm and café and open it up to the public.

Young people with additional needs would learn practical skills by helping to build animal enclosures, caring for the animals and managing the café.

The project has received a significant boost after winning £1,000 of building materials in our Community Heroes competition.

Volunteers from Friends of Ravenshall will be invited to visit Selco Bradford store on Tong Street to collect the materials.

Fundraising Manager Charlotte Gray-Sharpe said: “We could hardly believe it when we heard we were a Selco Community Hero. It means the world to us.

“This project will have tremendous benefits for the young people involved, who gain invaluable experience in construction and design, as well as working towards qualifications in animal care, horticulture and hospitality, preparing them for employment.

“Donations of building materials are vital as we move to the next stage in creating a shared space for all to enjoy.”

Friends of Ravenshall was chosen as a Community Hero by our judges from hundreds of entries.

This year, we’re giving away £57,500 through the campaign, split into 40 individual prizes of £1,000 to spend in store, alongside a £10,000 cash prize for an overall winner, £5,000 for second place and £2,500 for third.

Simon Humpage, Head of Multi-Channel Marketing at Selco, said: “Choosing our five monthly winners from the hundreds of entries is always a mammoth task as there are so many worthy causes across the country, but Friends of Ravenshall really stood out.

“This is a fantastic project that is giving young people tremendous opportunities for growth. I hope the building materials are just what the volunteers need to create a wonderful space for all to enjoy.

“Community Heroes is our flagship charitable programme – and it’s open to any group that does good work in its local area, so get involved today.”

We’re proud to support a group that brightens up Portsmouth each year with 100 street art murals across the city.

Art Up (Portsmouth) CIC organises the annual LOOKUP Portsmouth street art festival, which brings world-class permanent art to all areas of the city. This year the event takes place September 13 and September 14.

The group was delighted to be named a Selco Community Hero, winning £1,000 to spend on masonry paint.

Art Up (Portsmouth) CIC was chosen from hundreds of entries by judges for the prize.

Director Angela Parks said: “We are delighted to receive this fantastic prize from Selco. We use over 1,000 litres of masonry paint to create the street art murals, so this will be extremely useful.

“LOOKUP Portsmouth attracts some of the world’s leading street artists and brings in around 25,000 visitors.

“It also gives over 750 children the chance to try spray painting, and provides development opportunities for emerging women artists to build their skills and confidence - helping address the under-representation of women in street art.

“We’re all about creating a shared experience in Portsmouth – and it’s great to have Selco on board.”

This year’s Community Heroes prize fund totals an impressive £57,500, with 40 individual £1,000 in-store prizes, plus a £10,000 cash prize for the overall winner, £5,000 for second place, and £2,500 for third.

Simon Humpage, Head of Multi-Channel Marketing at Selco, said: “This is the fourth year of Community Heroes, which has already helped dozens of good causes across the country. We are proud to be making a tangible difference to people’s lives.

“Art Up (Portsmouth) CIC really stood out because it’s such a unique and innovative idea. The painted walls around the city look absolutely incredible and are a real tourist attraction.

“At Selco we stock a range of masonry paints from leading brands, as well as decorating materials, so I’m sure organisers will be able to find many materials to help with the project.”

A Barnet charity that supports vulnerable young people through horse-based education is galloping towards success after winning building materials from us.

Strength and Learning Through Horses (SLTH) has scooped £1,000 to spend in store with us after being named as a Community Hero.

SLTH helps more than 450 disadvantaged young Londoners boost their mental health and school prospects through its unique horse therapy and alternative education programmes.

Louise Gibson, Fundraising and Community Engagement Manager at SLTH, said: “This prize is tremendous news for our charity.

“We plan to use the materials to build more outdoor benches and better fencing to keep everyone safe and comfortable on-site, including the young people, staff, volunteers and the horses.

“This upgrade will make a huge difference to our space, where vulnerable young people connect with horses and transform their lives.

“With better facilities, we can continue to make a real impact on hundreds of young people each year. It’s great to see Selco getting involved like this.”

Louise and the team plan to visit Selco New Southgate on Brunswick Park Industrial Estate to select their products.

This is the fourth time we have run the Community Heroes campaign – and it’s grown in popularity year on year.

This year, we have revamped the format of the competition and increased the prize pot to a huge £57,500. This includes 40 individual prizes of £1,000 to spend in-store, alongside a £10,000 cash prize for an overall winner, £5,000 for second place and £2,500 for third.

Any group that supports the local community has until the end of September to enter online.

Simon Humpage, Head of Multi-Channel Marketing at Selco, said: “Everyone at Selco is extremely proud of Community Heroes and the real difference it makes to so many good causes across the UK. We are creating a real legacy and changing lives.

“SLTH is an incredible charity and a worthy Community Hero. Horses encourage young people to learn about their own emotions and behaviour to make positive changes that improve their lives.

“Community Heroes is our flagship charitable programme – and it’s open to any group that does good work in its local area, so get involved today.”

A Cheltenham not-for-profit company that supports vulnerable children has won materials to improve its play area by building playhouses and teepees.

Children Lead The Way CIC has been named as a winner in our Community Heroes competition, receiving £1,000 to spend in store with us.

The group helps disadvantaged children and families across Gloucestershire who are unable to attend mainstream school as a result of trauma, anxiety, adversity or mental health issues.

The materials will be used to improve a recently built outdoor wellbeing and recovery forest centre, where children can experience the joy of learning in nature whilst meeting all their sensory and emotional needs.

Stacey Innes, Founder of Children Lead The Way, said: “We are thrilled to receive this fantastic prize from Selco.

“Our outdoor community centre gives hope and joy back to children who feel unseen, unworthy and broken as a result of their additional needs or adverse experiences that make everyday life hard.

“The outdoor centre gives children the chance to be their authentic selves again. Every child deserves to feel the joy and wonder of learning and every parent deserves to see their child love life again.

“We want to build better wooden structures on-site to improve opportunities for children who find it hard to play alongside others or need that extra reassurance to feel safe in social situations, including playhouses, teepees and a stage.

“We are also looking to upgrade our temporary fencing to create more inclusive opportunities for vulnerable children to have the autonomy to explore freely and feel connected with nature.”

Our Community Heroes campaign has helped dozens of good causes across the country over the last four years. This year, the prize pot has been significantly increased to £57,500, including 40 individual prizes of £1,000 to spend in store.

Later in the year, an overall winner will also secure the top prize of £10,000 in cash, while second place will scoop £5,000 and third place will receive £2,500.

Any group that supports the local community has until the end of September to enter online.

Simon Humpage, our Head of Multi-Channel Marketing, said: “We’re delighted to support Children Lead The Way CIC as our latest Community Heroes winner and look forward to welcoming the team to our Cheltenham store at Festival Park. The children are sure to enjoy their new play equipment and it’s a privilege to be part of the project.

“Community Heroes 2025 is well underway and we have been inundated with hundreds of excellent nominations. We love to help worthy causes whenever we can, which is why we made the decision to significantly increase both the total prize pot and the number of winners.”

A community interest company in Dorset that gives young people and women the chance to learn DIY skills has received a donation of toolkits from Selco.

From North End Farm in Christchurch runs inclusive workshops to give people the opportunity to learn practical, hands-on skills in a supportive environment.

The new project has been backed by our Poole store, which has donated 10 multi-purpose toolkits, packed with screwdrivers, hammers, saws, pliers and knives.

Lou Brown, Co-Founder and Creative Director of North End Farm, said: “We’re thrilled to receive this fantastic donation from Selco – it will make a tremendous difference.

“We are a female-led not-for-profit organisation on a mission to smash stereotypes and spark confidence. This new project will be a place where total beginners can dive into DIY, traditional crafts and essential life skills in a fun, non-judgmental zone.

“The workshops are open to all and everyone is welcome but we’re particularly focused on women and care leavers – because everyone deserves the tools to thrive.”

The workshops are led by experts with lived experience, creating a supportive space for collaboration and growth.

Courses include tiling, essential tools and what they do, power tools and their uses, car maintenance, bike maintenance and beginner carpentry.

Women who are receiving benefits are able to claim free places on the courses.

Jon Harris, Branch General Manager of Selco Poole on Fleets Corner Business Park, said: “We’re thrilled to be able to support From North End Farm.

“The team has put in a tremendous amount of work to get the community interest company up and running. These courses will really increase confidence and allow people to develop skills in a supportive environment.

“Though Selco is here to serve the trade, we are still fully supportive of people being given access to hands-on, DIY skills so they have the confidence of tackling jobs around the home.”

A Newport charity that provides exciting experiences for seriously ill children and their families will have the chance to enhance its garden area after winning materials in our Community Heroes competition.

Dreams and Wishes Charity was named as a monthly regional champion in the campaign, winning £1,000 to spend in store with us.

Multi award-winning organisation Dreams and Wishes Charity supports seriously ill children and their families by providing unforgettable experiences. The charity has a celebration of life garden near the children’s hospital in Cardiff and will use the building materials to make it a perfect place for families to enjoy.

Kelly Reardon, a member of the Dreams and Wishes Charity Executive Board, said: “We are absolutely thrilled to be a Selco Community Hero.

"We are dedicated to putting smiles on faces by making dreams and wishes come true for seriously ill children and their families.

“Since 2011 we have granted over 2,000 wishes, which can be anything from purchasing laptops to organising meet and greets with the child's favourite celebrity. Our belief is every child deserves to smile and have joyful moments.

"Our celebration of life garden is a quiet place for families to reflect - and it needs a bit of work. These materials from Selco will make a tremendous difference."

Dreams and Wishes Charity will visit Selco Cardiff Llanishen on Parc Ty Glas to select its products.

This year the Community Heroes prize pot stands at £57,500, including 40 individual prizes of £1,000 to spend in store.

There will also be an overall top prize of £10,000 in cash, as well as £5,000 for second place and £2,500 for third.

Simon Humpage, Head of Multi-Channel Marketing at Selco, said: “Dreams and Wishes Charity provides an amazing service for children and their families at the most difficult of times. They are a true Community Hero and we’re delighted to be able to help with their celebration of life garden.

“We've already supported 10 fantastic groups through Community Heroes but we still have 30 winners to announce. Being involved in the local community and supporting charities has always been a core principle of Selco and this year we have upped the ante with a massively enhanced prize pot for Community Heroes.

“We look forward to supporting many more good causes in the weeks and months to come.”

We're delighted to help create 10 new rooms for young people affected by homelessness in Milton Keynes.

We've provided £1,000 of building materials to YMCA Milton Keynes through our award-winning Community Heroes initiative.

YMCA MK provides practical, emotional and employment support to young people who have experienced - or are at risk of- homelessness.

The charity was one of five monthly winners to scoop £1,000 to spend in store in the Community Heroes competition, which attracted hundreds of entries.

Ellie Walsh, Trusts, Foundations and Commissioning Manager at YMCA MK, said: “We are thrilled to be a Selco Community Hero. It’s a huge boost for us as a charity.

“We provide homes to young adults aged between 18 and 35 and create a supportive environment for residents living on campus, enabling them to belong, contribute and thrive.

“These fantastic building materials from Selco will allow us to create 10 new rooms for young people with complex needs, offering a safe and supportive home for even more people in need. Selco are helping us change lives and that's wonderful.”

After the building project the YMCA campus in central Milton Keynes will be home to 233 young people. As well as accommodation, the charity offers employment guidance, support sessions and activities.

Staff at YMCA MK will visit Selco Milton Keynes on Denbigh Road to select its materials.

The charity is just one of more than a dozen groups to win £1,000 of store credit so far in our re-launched and revamped Community Heroes campaign, which runs until September.

In total, £40,000 of materials will be awarded in monthly prizes, followed by £10,000 in cash for an overall winner, £5,000 for second place and £2,500 for third.

Any group that supports the local community has until the end of September to enter online.

Simon Humpage, Head of Multi-Channel Marketing at Selco, said: “Community Heroes is all about celebrating those groups and organisations that do amazing work – and YMCA MK certainly fits into that category.

“Our judges were impressed with the holistic approach YMCA MK takes and the way it transforms people’s lives. It’s a privilege to be able to play a part in creating new rooms to help more people.

“We look forward to supporting many more winners in the months to come.”

A group which promotes active lifestyles by offering free sports sessions in Leeds has won building materials through our Community Heroes scheme to continue its growth.

Champions Community Sport and Health CIC has been named as a Community Heroes regional winner, securing £1,000 to spend in-store at Selco.

The group will use the materials to continue its renovation of an old bowling hut at Hunslet Moor Park in Beeston, which is used as a meeting point and for storage.

Sam Gilmore, of Champions Community Sport and Health CIC, said: “This prize is fantastic news for our group. We are extremely grateful to Selco for their support.

“We run free turn-up-and-play football and multi sports sessions for children in south Leeds, with our offering also including breakfast and lunch.

“We identified that some children and young people in the area don’t have the funds to join a traditional sports club and were, consequently, becoming increasingly inactive, hungry and even involved in local gangs.

“Our weekly sessions attract more than 100 people and are well loved by all. The support of local businesses such as this from Selco means the world to us.”

Sam and the team plan to visit our Leeds Elland Road store to make their purchases.

We are awarding £1,000 each to five regional winners every month until September – a total of £40,000.

At the end of the campaign there will also be an overall winner which will receive £10,000 in cash, while second place will scoop £5,000 and third place will receive £2,500.

Any group that supports the local community has until the end of September to enter online.

Simon Humpage, Head of Multi-Channel Marketing at Selco, said: “A huge congratulations to Champions Community Sport and Health CIC, a true Community Hero. Sport can be so important for children and young people but cost can be a barrier. Champions Community Sport and Health CIC offers a solution with this amazing free service that is clearly making a difference to people’s lives.

“Community Heroes has been a tremendous success over the last four years – and this year it is bigger and better than ever. We look forward to supporting many more winners in the months to come.”

A north London group which helps combat loneliness amongst men by providing a safe space for woodworking and hands-on projects has won a haul of materials in our Community Heroes competition.

Age UK’s Men in Sheds project in Enfield has been named as a monthly regional champion, receiving £1,000 to spend in store with us. This money will be used to purchase new tools and materials for its twice-weekly meetings at John Jackson Library.

“We were overwhelmed to be named as a Selco Community Hero,” said Age UK Enfield Project Manager Mark Huggard.

“The Men in Sheds project aims to improve the well-being and social connections of men, particularly those who are retired or experiencing a life transition.

“We provide a dedicated space where men can come together to engage in various activities, hobbies and projects and learn new skills in the process.

“Our members have made all sorts of items in the last year, including benches, bird boxes, planters, Christmas trees and coasters. The wood, tools and paint we will be able to buy with this fantastic prize will be a huge boost.”

The Enfield Men in Sheds group has around 40 members, who all attend free of charge. Mark and his team plan to visit Selco Enfield store on Crown Road to make their purchases.

This year’s revamped Community Heroes campaign is bigger and better than ever, with a bumper prize pot of £57,500, including 40 individual prizes of £1,000 to spend in store.

Later in the year, an overall winner will also secure the top prize of £10,000 in cash, while second place will scoop £5,000 and third place will receive £2,500.

Any group that supports the local community has until the end of September to enter online.

Simon Humpage, Head of Multi-Channel Marketing at Selco, said: “Community Heroes is our flagship charitable initiative that has supported dozens of good causes over the last four years. We wanted to do even more to support those in need, so this year we have increased both the prize pot and the number of winners significantly.

Congratulations to Age UK on their project being named as one of our first winners. It is easy for men to feel isolated, particularly in later life or after retirement, so it’s brilliant that groups like this exist to give people a chance to get together and do something enjoyable, while learning new skills.

We look forward to supporting many more good causes in the weeks and months to come.”