Exeter hotel donates televisions to charities

A popular Exeter hotel has donated television sets to a charity fundraising body, after undergoing a major re-furbishment.

The Mercure Exeter Southgate underwent a £2.5m re-furbishment earlier this year. The hotel donated 20 television sets, which were previously in rooms, to the Exeter Foundation.

As a fundraising body, the Exeter Foundation offered the televisions to its member charities on a first come first served basis. The televisions were snapped up within 2 hours by a number of different charities.

Headway, Exeter Youth Section, Age UK, Exeter Leukaemia Fund (ELF) and St Loye’s Foundation were all successful in receiving the TVs.

The gifts have been used by the charities in a number of ways to improve the lives of the people they help.

Louise Jones is a Corporate and Trust Fundraiser at the St Loye’s Foundation who help improve the quality of life for those with physical, mental health, sensory and other disabilities.

Louise said: “The TV’s have been a fabulous gift for our clients and mean that they can feel more at home in their new independent flats that we may have helped them secure. We are so grateful for this donation as it is something that many of our clients simply cannot afford to buy themselves.”

One St Loye’s client who received a television said that he was very happy with his new television. The donation has given his mental health a boost as he found it quite overwhelming that anyone would willingly give a television away for free.

Holly Keatings, Fundraising and Communications Manager at Headway, said: “Headway Devon is hugely grateful to the Southgate. These TVs have been used at our day centres for people with brain injuries across Devon, meaning that all of our clients are able to access enjoyable and beneficial games and activities using our Nintendo Wii consoles.

“These activities offer significant benefits for people with brain injuries, helping to improve coordination, thinking skills, balance and fitness in a fun and sociable way.”

Alison Upton, ELF Fundraiser, said: “Exeter Leukaemia Fund was thrilled to accept the TVs from the Southgate and they have been put to great use within the Yarty Ward at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital. The TVs are being used for critically ill patients to relieve the boredom of being in isolation rooms for long periods of time.”

In addition, the hotel has recently donated pillows and duvets to the Bournemouth Churches Housing Association (BCHA). The BCHA aims to make a practical contribution to local housing problems.

The hotel has recently signed up to become one of 15 companies to support the Exeter Foundation for 2015/16. The group, collectively known as the Exeter Foundation XV, have all committed to raising and donating in excess of £1,500. This money is then pledged by the Foundation to projects and organisations in and around the city to promote future prosperity into Exeter and the surrounding areas.

Tamsyn Parsons, Sales Manager for Mercure Exeter Southgate hotel, said: “I’m glad that we could put the televisions and bedding to good use by donating them. It’s great to hear how our donation has helped and affected people’s lives.

“We are now looking forward to a series of fundraising activities over the next 12 months to continue our support of the Exeter Foundation and the charities involved.”