Portadown Wellness Centre benefit from Toyota Community Fund

A Partnership Built on Trust

Our relationship with Portadown Wellness Centre has developed naturally over time. Through our Rental Department, Shelbourne Motors has supported the charity by providing vans and transport to assist with community programmes and outreach initiatives. Seeing first-hand how these services operate — and the real impact they have on people’s lives — made supporting this funding application an easy decision.

In addition, several members of our team are already personally involved with the charity, and a number of our long-standing customers play active roles on the Centre’s board. This close connection has created a partnership built on trust, shared values and a genuine commitment to supporting local people.

Supporting Growing Demand for Mental Health Services

Portadown Wellness Centre works within some of the most socially deprived areas in the region, providing therapeutic wellness classes, professional counselling and outreach programmes for people experiencing mental illness, addiction, loneliness and isolation. With waiting lists for statutory mental health services continuing to rise, the Centre plays a critical role in offering early, accessible support when it is most needed.

The funding secured through Toyota UK will help deliver additional pottery, arts & crafts and cookery classes, ensuring more individuals can benefit from practical, creative therapies that support recovery, confidence and social connection.

Hearing the Story First-Hand

As part of our partnership, members of the Shelbourne Motors team recently visited Portadown Wellness Centre to film one of their pottery classes in action. During the visit, we also spent time with Alan McDowell, the Centre’s founder, who shared the powerful story behind why the organisation was established.

Following his own experience of severe mental ill health, Alan set up the Centre to ensure others would not face the same barriers to support. His openness and honesty are a reminder of why early access, compassion and practical support are so important. What began as a personal journey has grown into a service that continues to change lives across our local community.

Looking Ahead

We are proud to stand alongside Portadown Wellness Centre and play a small part in supporting their incredible work. Our team will continue to stay closely involved, sharing updates from the project and helping raise awareness of the services available through our social channels and customer network.

Mental health affects us all, and partnerships like this show what can be achieved when local organisations work together for the good of the community.

More about Portadown Wellness Centre.

Established in 2019, Portadown Wellness Centre supports people experiencing mental ill health, addiction, recovery from physical illness, loneliness and isolation. They operate in some of the most socially deprived communities in Co. Armagh, offering accessible and affordable help when it’s needed most.

Northern Ireland continues to face serious mental health challenges, with long waiting lists and limited public funding. Portadown Wellness Centre helps bridge that gap by providing:

Therapeutic wellness classes including pottery, woodwork, cookery, arts and crafts, gardening and yoga

Professional counselling delivered by accredited therapists

Outreach programmes supporting schools, sports clubs, workplaces and community groups

Ongoing food support for families, schools and elderly people impacted by the cost-of-living crisis

In 2023 alone, over 3,900 people were supported through their services.

Shelbourne Motors Limited trading as Shelbourne Motors Portadown, Shelbourne Motors Nissan, Shelbourne Motors Newry, and Fleet4u is an Appointed Representative of Automotive Compliance Ltd, who is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA No 497010). Automotive Compliance Ltd’s permissions as a Principal Firm allows Shelbourne Motors Ltd to act as a credit broker, not as a lender, for the introduction to a limited number of lenders and to act as an agent on behalf of the insurer for insurance distribution activities only.

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