The Hospital Saturday Fund Awards Over £113,000 to South West Charities at Plymouth Charity Reception
The Hospital Saturday Fund (HSF) were delighted to award over £113,000 in grants to 25 charities from across the South West of England at a special Charity Reception held at the University of Plymouth.
HSF extends its sincere thanks to the University for its generosity in hosting the event. The evening marked a significant milestone for the organisation, as it was the first Charity Reception hosted by HSF in Plymouth.
Guests were also privileged to hear from Sonya Cassidy, actor and ambassador for Springboard Opportunity Group. Her inspiring address highlighted the importance of community, resilience, and the vital role of supporting organisations that make a meaningful difference across the UK.
HSF is grateful to Professor Richard Davies, who generously gave his time to attend the evening and joined Paul Jackson in presenting the grants. The organisation was also delighted to welcome its Patron, Lesley Garrett, who assisted in presenting the awards.
Speaking at the event, Paul Jackson, Group Chief Executive of HSF, said:
We are delighted to uphold our tradition of assisting a wide range of charities across the South West of England, including many that may not receive widespread recognition. The Hospital Saturday Fund is honoured to contribute to the crucial work of these incredible organisations, whose dedication has a profound and positive impact on so many lives.”
The reception celebrated not only the achievements of the funded charities but also the continued commitment of The Hospital Saturday Fund to supporting communities and improving lives across the region.
The Hospital Saturday Fund is proud to have provided grants to the following organisations:
BASICS Devon, Beyond Dementia, Bowel Cancer West, Care for Kids North Devon, Children’s Hospice South West, Dartmoor Search and Rescue Team (Tavistock), Dartmouth Caring, DDRC Healthcare, Devon Air Ambulance, Devon Mind, Exmoor Search and Rescue Team, FORCE Cancer Charity, Headway Plymouth, Hospiscare, Hospital Radio Plymouth, iSightCornwall, Peninsula Medical Foundation, Pregnancy Crisis Care (Plymouth & SE Cornwall), Royal Devon Hospitals Charity, Sidmouth Hospice at Home, South West Blood Bikes, South Western Ambulance Charity, St Luke’s Hospice Plymouth, Springboard Opportunity Group, and the University of Plymouth.
Diane Sheppard, Vice Chair and Trustee attended the event and received the grant from Lesley Garrett, Soprano and Patron of the Hospital Saturday Fund, Professor Richard Davies, Vice Chancellor of the University of Plymouth and Paul Jackson Group Chief Executive of the Hospital Saturday Fund.
Bowel Cancer West was one of 25 charities who received a cheque at a reception held at Plymouth University in March 2026.
The Grant will help the charity with their work to raise awareness of bowel cancer, its symptoms and importance of seeking medical help if symptoms continue for more than 3 weeks and also the importance of participating in bowel screening.
