LSH Auto has announced Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity will be its official 2021 charity partner in the Midlands.

To kickstart the 12 month partnership, LSH Auto will be supporting the charity’s new youth mental health fundraising campaign, Fight For All The Feels, which launched in October. It’s in aid of Forward Thinking Birmingham, the city’s youth mental health service for 0-25 year olds, which is also part of Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust.

LSH Auto will be launching a design competition, working with young service users, who will be invited to create a Mercedes-Benz electric vehicle livery design on the theme of ‘positive futures’. The theme brings together the importance of supporting our young people to give them the best start in life and championing renewable energy for the positive future of our planet.

The winning design will be wrapped onto a White Mercedes-Benz A Class A 250 e and will tour LSH Auto’s Mercedes-Benz dealerships across the Midlands, starting at Mercedes-Benz of Birmingham, before moving on to Mercedes-Benz of Erdington, Mercedes-Benz of Solihull and Mercedes-Benz of Tamworth.

Martyn Webb, Managing Director of LSH Auto, said: “We are excited to be supporting Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity and look forward to working with them on a number of campaigns and supporting them with fundraising throughout 2021.

“This first initiative will support the charity’s Fight For All The Feels campaign, in aid of its youth mental health partnership, Forward Thinking Birmingham, which improves the lives of children and young people by preventing mental health issues from being a barrier to achieving their dreams.”

Money raised for the campaign will initially fund a number of young people – all with lived experience of mental health conditions – to be peer support workers, who will be available at every stage of a young person’s mental health journey – whether that is an initial conversation about the struggles they are facing, as part of the care provided through Forward Thinking Birmingham, or as part of their discharge package.

As part of the 12 month partnership agreement LSH Auto customers will also be invited to contribute a discretionary £5 donation to the charity when they purchase a new or Approved Used Mercedes-Benz vehicle.

Martyn Webb said: “Over the years our colleagues have raised funds for a number of local and national charities and our customers have always been incredibly generous. We’re hugely grateful for their ongoing support and I’m sure they will agree that Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity is a very worthy charity for us to support.”

Helen Miles, Corporate Fundraising Manager for Birmingham Children’s Hospital Charity, said: “2020 has been a tough year for most. It’s been well reported that COVID-19 will have a huge impact on the lives of children and young people, as well as their mental health, through increased rates of anxiety, depression and other serious conditions. That’s why the time to act is now. By standing up, and looking to tackle the issue head on, we hope to improve the economic, social and health prospects for all young people.

“We’re absolutely thrilled that LSH Auto has chosen to support us in 2021, and are one of our first major corporate partners for our new Fight For All The Feels campaign. We look forward to seeing what we can achieve together over the next 12 months.”

LSH Auto is part of the world’s largest Mercedes-Benz dealership group (LSH International), with more than 140 premier Mercedes-Benz dealerships worldwide.

With eight Mercedes-Benz dealerships in the Midlands and the North West, LSH Auto offers all-new models from Mercedes-Benz, AMG, EQ and smart, as well as premium approved used vehicles and exceptional aftersales services including maintenance, repairs, servicing, parts and accessories.

For further information on the Fight For All The Feels fundraising campaign, please visit fightforallthefeels.org.