Charities and fund raising organisations raised more than £25,000 during 2014 thanks to the support of the Ospreys, who donated items and services to more than 100 good causes during the year.
As part of the Ospreys’ ongoing commitment to the local communities across the region, every month the business holds a draw to donate player appearances, match tickets, signed merchandise and special “money can’t buy” activities and experiences to help raise much-needed funds for a wide range of good causes.
The lengthy list of organisations to have benefited from the Ospreys’ generosity during 2014 includes national charities active within the region such as Macmillan Cancer, Noah’s Ark Appeal, The Alzheimer’s Society, Help For Heroes, Save the Children and Cystic Fibrosis Trust, local charities and causes including Ty Olwen Hospice, Cash for Kids, 14 in 14 and Survivors of Stroke Wales, along with a host of local schools, rugby clubs and businesses.
Andrew Hore, Chief Executive of Ospreys Rugby, commented:
“We are extremely proud of our community focus, it is at the heart of what we are as a business and is something that everybody involved with the organisation buys into and understands is crucial to our long-term plan for Ospreys Rugby.
“We are in a position where we can help make a big difference to so many good causes through our actions and when you tally up the impact that our donations have made, it makes you realise what the Ospreys means to the local communities of Swansea, Neath Port Talbot and Bridgend.
“With more than £25,000 raised during 2014 we are entirely committed to continuing to support charities, fund raising organisations and good causes during 2015. The Ospreys supporting Ospreylia, and Ospreylia supporting the Ospreys is central to our vision and that is one thing that won’t change.”
The Ospreys also operated a successful community activity programme in the summer of 2014, supporting local rugby clubs with a programme of community service, offering their time to help with projects from painting and cleaning through to gardening and odd jobs, while the Ospreys Kit Initiative, run in conjunction with BT Sport, has provided substantial cash savings on kit purchases for clubs in the region. Pre-season also saw the players pounding the streets with refuse collectors from the three unitary authorities in the region to promote their recycling services.
Just two weeks ago, the Ospreys teamed up with supporters to collect much needed donations for Swansea’s Eastside Food Bank at the derby match against the Scarlets, hundreds of food items handed over to the Bonymaen based charity to support some of the most vulnerable people in the community.
For more information about how the Ospreys can help with good causes or to apply for charity tickets, signed merchandise or even special match day activities to be used in auctions and raffles, please email nick.lockley@ospreysrugby.com.