<p><span>The housebuilding industry has donated £110,000 to the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity’s crisis fund appeal in the wake of the coronavirus crisis, doubling the funds already raised.</span><span></span></p> <p><span>The Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity, which </span><span>provides financial and emotional support to the construction community and their families, saw calls to its confidential helpline rise 55% against last year in response to the pandemic, with many calls from self-employed tradesmen, agency staff or zero-hour workers “</span><span>who are often only one or two paydays away from </span><span>financial difficulties,” said the charity and HBF, the latter of which launched a mental health campaign in partnership with the charity last year.</span></p> <p><span>Coronavirus has also forced the Lighthouse Construction Industry Charity to cancel its national and regional fundraising events, severely impacting its income.</span></p> <p><span>Housebuilders “responded quickly” to the charity’s plea, HBF said, helping it reach its £1 million target with the charity benefitting further from a donation from the Steve Morgan Foundation. This follows a similar donation of more than £120,000 that housebuilders made last year </span><span>following</span><span> the launch of HBF's campaign.</span></p> <p><span>The charity has pledged that “not a penny” from its national family crisis fund appeal will go to charity overheads. Instead: </span><span>“</span><span>Every penny will be …