Charities benefit to the tune of £145,000 thanks to Exeter Foundation

Following a successful year of fundraising, Exeter-based charities and projects are better off to the tune of over £145,000 thanks to donations from the Exeter Chiefs’ official charity, the Exeter Foundation.

Some £97,534.34 was given to projects who had applied for funds from the Exeter Foundation, including £10,000 towards a play area at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital’s Bramble Ward, £25,000 for a new hydrotherapy pool at Vranch House and a £1,500 contribution for a new Volunteering in Health minibus.

The Exeter Foundation also supported the 19240 Shrouds of the Somme Project in 2015, an art project commemorating the 19,240 lives lost on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.

In addition, the Foundation’s 19 designated charities for the 2014-15 rugby season, who fundraised at each Exeter Chiefs home match were given nearly £48,000 between them.

More than £100,000 was raised for the Foundation through other events and initiatives such as the Big Walk, Exeter Chiefs’ End of Season Dinner and the Foundation XV – a group of 15 businesses who pledge to raise £1,500 for the charity over the course of each rugby season.

Chairman of the Exeter Foundation, Tony Rowe OBE, said: “On behalf of the Trustees of the Exeter Foundation, we’d like to thank everyone who fundraised for us or have donated to the Foundation in the past year.

“We’ve been able to help fund some fantastic causes as well as give generously to the 19 designated charities in 2015, and there are already some worthy projects we are looking to help in the coming months.”

The Exeter Foundation was established in 2011 to formalise money raised at Exeter Chiefs matches and Sandy Park events. Since the inception of the Foundation, 38 local charities have benefited from collecting at match days and dozens of local projects and organisations have been allocated funds after applying for individual project grants.

To find out more about becoming a designated charity for the 2016-17 season or how to apply for project grant, visit www.exeterfoundation.org.uk/category/apply-for-funding or contact enquiries@exeterfoundation.org.uk