MORE than £140,000 was raised by 400+ generous guests at the Saints Foundation Charity Dinner, which played out in style at St Mary’s.
This year’s proceedings were compèred by hosts Kenzie Benali and Adam Blackmore, with notable attendees including Francis Benali MBE, James Beattie, Steven Davis and Sam McQueen.
Saints men and women's managers Russell Martin and Marieanne Spacey-Cale were in attendance, alongside chairman Henrik Kraft and CEO Phil Parsons.
Guests heard how Saints Foundation has helped transform the lives of four Southampton locals, all from starkly varied backgrounds and facing very different challenges.
Eunice (67, of Portswood) spoke about how the Senior Saints programme has reduced her isolation since losing her sight in 2010, while Richard (55) and Gus (48, of St Mary’s) shared their experiences of finding camaraderie on our men’s mental health programme Saints By Your Side.
The night closed with the presentation of the annual Jordan Willsher Award, which recognises overcoming adversity to achieve success with Saints Foundation.
This year’s recipient was 17 year old Jess, a young carer from Harefield who’s been supported through secondary school by Foundation Community Champion, James.
Thanks to massive fundraising efforts and the support of headline partners Peter Cooper Motor Group, Gather & Gather, Charters Estate Agents and Barratt David Wilson Homes, the night’s fundraising surpassed well over £130,000.
In a further generous gesture, Sport Republic added more than £11,000 to the overall total by matching proceeds raised by the live auction.
Greg Baker, chief executive officer at Saints Foundation, said: “We’re all blown away by the generosity of everyone who attended this year’s Saints Foundation Charity Dinner.
“Like everyone in the room, I was moved by the incredible stories shared by our amazing, inspirational participants, and I’m proud to say we’ll use this record-breaking fundraising total to help other people on their own journeys.
“Our vision is making Southampton a place where everyone thrives, and the money raised this year will help us further that goal – by helping those who need it most, we’re making the city better for all.
“I’d like to say a huge thank you to all our guests for their generosity, and to our event partners, without whom this event could not take place.
"We’re also incredibly grateful to Sport Republic for their extremely generous donation, and to everyone at Southampton Football Club, who continue to back us every step of the way to make a real difference in our city.”
In addition to its headline partners, the Saints Foundation Charity Dinner 2024 was also supported by Elmtree Signs, J’Adore Events and Milktree Agency.
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