Foundation Day 2023 raises over £51,000

Northampton Saints Foundation are delighted to announce their third Foundation Day, in partnership with Approved Business Finance and MPA, has raised an incredible £51,392.75 and still counting!

Saturday’s Gallagher Premiership game saw Northampton Saints face Gloucester at cinch Stadium at Franklin’s Gardens, with a host of fundraising activity also taking place to raise awareness and funds for Northampton Saints Foundation.

Financially independent from Northampton Saints, the Foundation needs to raise in excess of £400,000 this year through fundraising, grants and corporate partnerships to sustain its life-changing work.

With a total of over £51,000 raised from the charity event, the Foundation can support more young people – helping them to develop new skills, rebuild their confidence and where appropriate return to education, training or employment.

As the gates opened, the stadium came alive with fundraising activities and fans were greeted by non-playing players in the Supporter Village, and around the ground who were taking selfies and signing items for donations. Free flags, ‘Propercorn’ popcorn, posters and MPA-branded refillable water bottles were handed out whilst volunteers sold raffle tickets. Meanwhile on the pitch, the 23-man Saints squad warmed up in Foundation-branded t-shirts.

The teams were greeted from the tunnel by pitchside flamethrowers and each Saints player took the hand of mascots from Lumbertubs Primary School, Sir Christopher Hatton Academy, Hardingstone Academy, Holywell School, Denfield Park Primary, Sywell C of E Primary, Exeter a Learning Community, Staverton CE Primary School.  All these local schools have benefitted from the Foundation’s primary school education programmes – including Values, Premiership Rugby Champions Tackling Health, Character or Numeracy.

After a nip-and-tuck first half which saw the two sides head into the break level at 10-10, hosts Northampton Saints (who all wore unique playing shirts with the Foundation logo to raise additional funds on the day) pulled away in the second 40 minutes. Alex Waller scored for the men in Black, Green and Gold before the interval, but it was one-way traffic for much of the second half as Callum Braley, Alex Moon, Sam Graham, Tommy Freeman and skipper Fraser Dingwall all crossed the whitewash to open up a 41-15 lead.

Foundation ambassador, James Grayson, added 11 points (four conversions, one penalty) from the kicking tee, while Dingwall grabbed his sensational try wearing bespoke Foundation-branded boots – by Henry and Alexander from The Two Customisers – which were later auctioned.

Gloucester rallied in the closing stages to bring the final scoreline to 41-34, but that could not put a dampener on what was an excellent afternoon for Northampton Saints.

At half-time of the match, representatives from Approved Business Finance and MPA went head-to-head in a kicking competition to win additional funds for the Foundation. With five successful kicks each and £1000 in the bank, another Foundation ambassador in former England international Tom Wood stepped up to the tee to take a final ‘double or nothing’ kick, and boosted the amount given to the charity by an additional £1000.

Meanwhile, representatives from Exceed Group took auction bids around the ground and online with unique experiences and memorabilia, donated from local businesses and Northampton Saints players, to raise further funds supporting the Foundation’s life-changing work.

Catherine Deans, Managing Director at Northampton Saints Foundation, said: “We are overwhelmed with the support and generosity we have received in the run up to Foundation Day and over the weekend.

“We are extremely grateful to long-term supporters and Foundation Day headline partners Approved Business Finance and MPA, as well as everyone at Northampton Saints who has made this day possible.

“The money raised will make a huge difference to the lives of young people in Northamptonshire and beyond, where our dedicated Foundation team work tirelessly to help young people to change their future.”

Northampton Saints Foundation would like to thank everyone who helped and contributed to the day.