BBC Radio Devon to give cash to the Community

Devon Community Foundation is thrilled to announce that it is working with BBC Radio Devon to celebrate the station’s 30th Birthday by giving cash to the community! BBC Radio Devon Give a Gift, which launched on 21st January, aims to raise funds to make a difference in the county by giving cash gifts to local groups and organisations that need it most.

The funds raised will be distributed throughout the year with a panel of BBC Radio Devon listeners helping to decide how the money is spent. It is a fantastic opportunity to demonstrate the worth of local community groups and just what can be achieved by Devon people!

The launch is being marked with the first fundraising event, which asks 30 entrepreneurial groups or individuals from across the county to raise an impressive £38,073 over the next six months.

If you have a competitive edge or like to take on a challenge, this is the perfect appeal for you! Each group will start with £19.83 in February and double the amount each month to reach the final target of £1,269.12 by August 2013.

The money can be raised in whatever way you like – whether you would like to undertake a gruelling challenge of a lifetimeor begin with a bake sale, every penny will count towards your final target. The more unusual the better!

‘Double it for Devon’ is the first of a series of fundraising activities planned throughout BBC Radio Devon’s Give a Gift Appeal offering organisations a chance to come together to help raise substantial funds for Devon’s communities and to tackle disadvantage and deprivation.

Devon Community Foundation and BBC Radio Devon need volunteers to come forward to face this challenge. If you are interested please contact Laura Hewitt on laura@devoncf.com or by phoning on 01884 235887.

Martha Wilkinson, Chief Executive of Devon Community Foundation said: “We are really excited about this fantastic opportunity and the chance to help give local voluntary and community groups the recognition they deserve. I am absolutely sure that people across Devon, Plymouth and Torbay will rally together to support the local community.”

Mark Grinnell, Editor of BBC Radio Devon added: “We know listeners to BBC Radio Devon are hugely generous and will get really involved in this appeal for our Birthday year. Since 1983 this station has always tried to give something back to the community we serve and what is fantastic about working with Devon Community Foundation is that money will be given to groups and organisations in the county who need it most and for the first time our listeners can tell us where they think that cash should go.”

Devon Community Foundation is the county’s largest independent grant maker, which works tirelessly, in partnership with other organisations, to make sure that Devon, Plymouth and Torbay don’t miss out. Since 2008 and the start of the recession, Devon Community Foundation has brought £3,812,806 into Devon through its fundraising efforts, making 1,156 grants to a total of 820 groups and in turn benefiting an amazing 500,000 people!

To find out more about the work of the Devon Community Foundation, visit www.devoncf.com