Delivering over 1,300 volunteer hours and £38,000+ in materials and money across multiple local authorities. 

Founded in 2002 with a singular focus, Fortem Solutions Ltd has never drifted from its lane. Social housing is all they do and this intentionality shows in how they show up for communities.

With contracts spanning Birmingham City Council, Birmingham and Solihull Integrated Care System, Onward Homes, and Sanctuary, Fortem has completed 25 projects across 11 organisations through Match My Project, with more already committed in the pipeline. From donating tablets to vulnerable residents and supplying winter warmer packs to providing mobile devices for migrants in crisis, the breadth of their impact is matched only by the consistency of their follow-through.

We sat down with Melanie Checkley at Fortem to find out what drives them and what other suppliers and community organisations can learn from their approach.

Why Match My Project?

Fortem came to the platform through their Birmingham City Council contract. But for a company that has been delivering Social Value since 2008, the platform represented structure and connection in new geographies.

“On the Sanctuary contract, it’s great and it does connect local community groups with companies like Fortem,” Melanie explains. “We work incredibly close with the Sanctuary team to ensure delivery is exactly where the support in the community needs to be.”

The philosophy: if we can do it, we do it

“If we can do it, then we do it,” she says. “In a lot of cases, this is even if we gain nothing from it – not a bid commitment, but the right thing to do, because we can offer the support. It does sound cliché, but we do exactly what we say we will do in terms of Social Value and we often go above and beyond.”

The philosophy runs deep at Fortem. This is the culture. 

“It is in our DNA,” Melanie reflects. “Our people at Fortem really do care about the communities in which we work and live. Without the community engagement, we couldn’t deliver targeted Social Value. We have to get right in there to see what support is needed in order to deliver what we say we will do.”

“Knowing that our support is a game changer for some communities and a lifeline is a wonderful feeling. Knowing that you are supporting people to have a better day fills me with joy.”
— Melanie Checkley, Fortem Solutions Ltd

Casey and the London Marathon: going above and beyond, literally

One project captures the Fortem spirit better than any statistic. Casey from the Fortem team took on the 2026 London Marathon with a fundraising target of £2,000 for St Basils – a charity supporting young people experiencing homelessness in Birmingham.

She raised over £4,000 which is more than double her target and hit it ahead of the deadline.

“Casey trained so hard in order to deliver what she said she would, and she totally smashed her fundraising target,” Melanie says. “I am so proud of what we do for our communities.”

St Basils agreed, “Working with Casey was amazing! She went above and beyond our expectations.”

What they’ve learned

Working across so many organisations and communities has influenced Fortem’s understanding of what makes partnerships actually work.

“The power of working together to ease the burden for everyone. We are so much stronger when we work together.”

It’s a simple insight but one that’s easy to miss when Social Value becomes a box-ticking exercise. For Fortem, community is the mission.

Advice for suppliers joining the platform

For businesses new to an area or looking for a more structured approach to Social Value delivery, Melanie’s advice is practical:

 “If you are new in the area, this could offer you a more structured approach to delivering your commitments.”

And when it comes to ambition, think ahead. Fortem is focused on projects that create lasting local impact, particularly those focused on skills development, employment opportunities, and improving health and wellbeing, with a specific interest in partnerships that support vulnerable groups and enhance local environments.

Advice for community organisations

Melanie’s tip for community organisations is one of the most actionable we’ve heard: break your projects down.

“If you want a community room decorated, list it step by step, e.g. decorate the room, replace the lighting, and list them all separately as this gives all types of contractors the chance to be able to support in smaller ways.”

Specificity opens doors. A large, vague ask can be hard for a supplier to respond to. Smaller, defined tasks let more businesses say.

Match My Project is proud to spotlight Fortem Solutions Ltd as Supplier of the Month.

Are you a business looking for a more efficient way to make an impact in your community? It takes just 2 minutes to sign up. Find your local authority at matchmyproject.org to get started.