Charities

More than 4,000 people fed at Christmas by the Exeter Chiefs Foundation

The Exeter Chiefs Foundation has funded its largest ever Feeding the Community at Christmas campaign, ensuring that 1,100 people received a proper festive feast.

Working in partnership with Exeter Food Action (EFA), the Foundation funded the distribution of essential festive fare – including meat, mince pies and seasonal staples – to 16 different charities and community organisations, supporting people who might otherwise have gone without.

This year’s campaign also included an additional donation to homeless charity St Petrock’s, enabling the team there to serve even...

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150 cats in the South West adopted in 2021 thanks to locals

150 cats from the South West have found their forever homes in the past year, thanks to players of People’s Postcode Lottery.

Cats Protection’s centres in Cornwall, Exeter and Ferndown helped dozens of locals find a new feline friend in 2021.

One such cat was Scarab, who was originally adopted from the Cornwall Adoption Centre in 2020 but went missing shortly after.

Scarab’s owner, Jayne, searched and searched for him but was unable to find him, despite putting up posters, using social media, and driving around for hours every day.

Despite being...

Devon Freewheelers volunteer Des Senior with some of the bears. Photo: Devon Freewheelers.

Exeter mum's crochet challenge keeps Honiton-based Devon Freewheelers blood bike on the road for 1,000 miles

An Exeter mum’s festive challenge to make a charity Christmas mascot for the Devon Freewheelers, based in Honiton, will fuel a blood bike for 1,000 miles.

Tammy Tudor, of Beacon Heath, Exeter, raised £140 by crocheting Christmas coats for teddy bears for the charity to sell at fundraising events.

Russell Roe, Devon Freewheelers deputy CEO, said: “The festive teddy bears went down a storm with our supporters, all thanks to the clever finishing touches created by Tammy. We could have sold them several times over.

“We are so grateful to Tammy for taking the time to...

SW charities win share of Persimmon's £1m Youth Charity giveaway

Three charities from Persimmon Homes’ South West region have been awarded a share of a £1 million fund supporting under-18s as a part of the hugely successful Persimmon Homes Building Futures campaign.

Ups and Downs South West, Families for Children and Stars Elite Cheer and Dance were among 96 organisations to reach the final stage of the Building Futures competition and were each awarded £5,000.

With £128,000 already awarded this year in £1,000 grants through Building Futures, the total prize pot was £1.073million.

Three finalists were each awarded the top...

Chloe and Sapphire sit together outside on a wooden bench.

Buddy dog for Exeter family ‘has opened up our world’

Sapphire the buddy dog – or wonder dog as her family calls her – came into the Ring family’s life in 2020, after the first lockdown due to the coronavirus pandemic. Buddy dogs are provided by sight loss charity Guide Dogs for children with a visual impairment.

Jane Ring, of Exeter, was concerned about the impact the lockdown was having on her daughter Chloe, who is deafblind.

“Chloe had only just started secondary school in September 2019, which was already a massive shock to her. It was a much busier, noisy environment with so many new teachers and pupils to get to know....

Local Samaritans here to listen over the festive period

Samaritans volunteers in the Exeter, Mid and East Devon branch will be among those on hand across the country over the festive season to listen to anyone having a tough time.

Thousands of volunteers across the UK and Ireland will be working shifts for the charity to ensure its helpline is open around the clock - even on Christmas Day and New Year’s Eve. And that includes volunteers from across Exeter, Mid and East Devon too.

Mental health, family issues, isolation and loneliness are expected to be the top concerns - along with worries over the pandemic. Relationship...

Devon estate agent supports homeless charity this winter

With the coldest months of the year upon us, homelessness charities such as Exeter based St Petrocks are a lifeline to individuals and families across Devon. Local estate agents Complete Property have teamed up with the charity this winter to raise funds, awareness and essential items for people in need this winter.

According to the latest statistics, a staggering 268,560 households in the UK were either at risk of or directly experienced homelessness last year, according to MHCLG's latest Statutory Homelessness Statistics.

St Petrocks is an Exeter based charity for people who are...

Children's bereavement charity to receive £1,000 donation

Post bereavement children’s charity Balloons Devon is set to receive a £1,000 donation from an initiative operated by a leading regional housebuilder.

The Exeter based charity applied to the Persimmon Homes South West Community Champions scheme, which was set up to provide financial support to charities, organisations and good causes in the region.

Sara Bennett from Balloons Devon explains: “We provide pre and post-bereavement support to children and young people who are struggling with behavioural and psychological difficulties due to grief and the impact of loss. The...

Topsham charity receives festive boost from McCarthy Stone Foundation

The McCarthy Stone Foundation has provided a welcome boost ahead of the Christmas period for local Topsham charity, the Estuary League of Friends, to help support those living with memory loss or dementia and their carers.

In a bid to make Christmas a little brighter this year, the McCarthy Stone Foundation has given the Estuary League of Friends a £250 donation, which will help with the running costs of its Memory Café, a support group offered to those living with memory loss or dementia and their carers.

Rachel Gilpin, Chief Executive at the Estuary League of Friends,...

Hospiscare signs up to The Charity Shop Gift Card

Hospiscare, which provides specialist care to patients and their families living with life-limiting illnesses across Exeter, Mid and East Devon, is the latest charity nationwide to sign up to the first multi-retailer gift card that can be used exclusively in charity shops.

The Charity Shop Gift Card will be sold and accepted in Hospiscare’s 18 shops which help raise money to support more than 2,000 adults every year, across Exeter, Mid and East Devon

The Charity Shop Gift Card has been developed by Gift Card CIC, a social enterprise, and backed by the Charity Retail...

Christmas comes early for local veterans as charity concert rocks Exeter Racecourse

Exeter veterans enjoyed a Christmas party with a difference at The Not Forgotten Jingle Bell Rock drive-in concert at Exeter Racecourse on Thursday 9th December.

The Not Forgotten, a British Armed Forces charity which supports serving and ex-service men and women performed in Exeter during their Christmas concert tour which aims to entertain, boost morale and lift lockdown spirits by reaching veterans across the UK.

Over 100 local veterans and their guests enjoyed a feast of festivities in their social bubble at the Jingle Bell Rock concert, providing a real boost to...

Charities

More than 4,000 people fed at Christmas by the Exeter Chiefs Foundation

150 cats in the South West adopted in 2021 thanks to locals

Exeter mum's crochet challenge keeps Honiton-based Devon Freewheelers blood bike on the road for 1,000 miles

SW charities win share of Persimmon's £1m Youth Charity giveaway

Buddy dog for Exeter family ‘has opened up our world’

Local Samaritans here to listen over the festive period

Devon estate agent supports homeless charity this winter

Children's bereavement charity to receive £1,000 donation

Topsham charity receives festive boost from McCarthy Stone Foundation

Hospiscare signs up to The Charity Shop Gift Card

Christmas comes early for local veterans as charity concert rocks Exeter Racecourse

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