As part of our Surprise Supplies initiative, we recently invited community groups, schools, charities and care homes who do great things in their communities to get in touch and tell us how a donation of £1,000 worth of building materials would be of help. All the entries have been whittled down to a final 10 and it’s now down to the public to decide which two will receive £1,000 each.

7th Exmouth Scout Troop

7th Exmouth Scout Troop actively empowers young people to make a positive contribution to their local area. For the past two years the Troop has worked tirelessly to help minimise the mental effects that can come with a lack of social interaction by doing as much virtually as possible. Sadly, having lost regular face to face contact, its members dropped. Now the Troop is able to reconnect with young people and it has welcomed new scouts. However, the Troops hall in Marpool Hill is in extremely poor condition and, if voted as a Surprise Supplies winner, it will use the £1,000 worth of materials to renovate the hall to make it a welcoming place for members and the wider community.

Bridgerule CofE Primary School, Holsworthy

Bridgerule CofE Primary School is aiming to transform an area of grass at the base of its playground into an all-year-round sensory and quiet garden where pupils can go to talk or enjoy some calming space. The project will include plants that provide gentle fragrance and some seating for chatting with friends. The school will be involving pupils in the design and creation of the garden and, if voted as a Surprise Supplies winner, the £1,000 worth of materials will be used to help bring the designs to life.

Cedar Grange Care Home, Launceston

Cedar Grange Care Home is part of the charity Cornwall Care and provides a place for 60 elderly people who need nursing support. The past two years have been extremely challenging for residents and the care home is aiming to improve mental health and emotional well-being by creating a relaxing and tranquil garden. The aim of the garden is to help reduce the often-distressing symptoms of dementia, such as anxiety, agitation and apathy, as well as provide space for the Cedar Grange staff to relax during their breaks. If voted as a Surprise Supplies winner, the £1,000 will be used to purchase materials to create the garden.

Chilled Out Youth Space, Torquay

Chilled Out Youth Space provides a place for young people to mix together and build their own community. They are able to receive support from specialist workers and take part in music projects, karaoke, art, sport, and more, as well as learn life skills and enjoy trips. The space is in need of some renovation work, which includes a new boiler, and if voted as a Surprise Supplies winner, the £1,000 will be used for this purpose.

Exeter Community Initiatives

Exeter Community Initiatives helps people facing poverty, inequality and homelessness to get their lives back on track. It runs the Jelly children’s charity shop in Exeter which sells second-hand children’s clothes, shoes, toys and accessories, and provides baby changing and feeding facilities, as well as a space at the back of the shop for children to play. The shop also helps those who are out of work gain retail skills. The Jelly shop is in need of refurbishment and, if voted as a Surprise Supplies winner, Exeter Community Initiatives will use the £1,000 worth of materials for this purpose. 

Gilead Foundations, Okehampton

Gilead Foundations offer supported living services for women who have had a range of experiences, including drug and alcohol addictions, homelessness, anxiety and domestic abuse. The charity aims to provide safe housing and support through therapy and skills training to help the women change their lives for the better. The charity is creating a craft and IT educational skills room and, if voted as a Surprise Supplies winner, the £1,000 will be used to purchase materials to complete the project so learning sessions can begin.

Ilfracombe & North Devon Sub Aqua Club

Ilfracombe & North Devon Sub Aqua Club was founded in 1960 and has members who are passionate about diving and the local marine environment. It has a clubhouse on Ropery Road in Ilfracombe, which is regularly used by the local community, as well as more recently as a rest area by nurses who were conducting Covid-19 testing in Ropery car park. The club is self-funding, with member subscriptions covering the diving expenses, leaving no budget to complete essential maintenance on the clubhouse. If voted as a Surprise Supplies winner, the £1,000 will be used to purchase paint, flooring, timber and sanitaryware to help with refurbishments.

In the Mix Project, Wiveliscombe

In the Mix Project provides youth and community services that aim to enhance learning, personal development, self-esteem and confidence while promoting teamwork and citizenship. Services range from offering personal support to sporting activities. The charity would like to improve the outdoor area at its Hub Centre, which is a safe and welcoming multi-use space which can be hired out, used as a place where young people and the wider community can meet up for a chat over coffee and somewhere young people can access support platforms. If voted as a Surprise Supplies winner, the £1,000 will be used to purchase materials to complete the project.

Swimbridge Primary School

Despite being a rural school, Swimbridge Primary School has no green space on its site. Recently, through a school council vote, pupils chose to redevelop an existing part of the playground into a well-being area to support emotional and social needs. Students Izaac, who is a school council member and the school’s junior caretaker, and his friend George have been regularly spending their lunchtimes improving the school grounds and have started to prepare the site for future work. If voted as a Surprise Supplies winner, the school will use the donation to purchase artificial grass, hardcore and fencing so the space is ready for planting.

Woodside Animal Welfare Trust, Plymouth

Woodside Animal Welfare Trust is an animal rehoming charity that aims to provide loving new homes for unwanted pets, including dogs, cats, ponies, goats, rabbits, birds, and more. Due to age or illness, some of the animals are unable to be rehomed and remain with Woodside as much-loved residents. The charity relies on donations to ensure it can continue to care for animals. As fundraising opportunities have been limited for the past two years, the charity is in need of funds to help it create new pens and kennels. If voted as a Surprise Supplies winner, Woodside Animal Welfare Trust will use the £1,000 worth of materials for this purpose. 

The two finalists that gain the most votes will receive £1,000 each to spend at their local RGB branch. Votes can be made in one of two ways:

  • By visiting our Facebook page [add link to Facebook page] and liking the photo in the Surprise Supplies album that represents the finalist they would like to see win; the album will be pinned to the top of the page.
  • By emailing RGB@pmwcom.co.uk and putting the name of the finalist they would like to win in the subject box.

Votes can be cast between Monday 14th February and 8am on Monday 28th February 2022. Votes cast outside of these dates will not be counted. Only one vote per person via one method of voting will be counted.

We wish all finalists the very best of luck.

Terms & Conditions:

  • Voting will take place between Monday 14th February and 8am on Monday 28th February 2022. Any votes cast outside these dates will not be counted.
  • The recipients of £1,000 each to spend at an RGB branch will be the two finalists that receive the highest number of votes.
  • Any votes deemed false will not be counted.
  • The winning charities will be required to take part in photocalls with an RGB representative. The photos will be distributed to the media and uploaded to RGB's website and social media platforms.
  • RGB Building Supplies reserves the right to award the prize to a runner-up if contact is not received from the voted winners after 10 days.
  • The winners are required to be involved in a follow up photocall showing how the building materials were used.
  • The prizes do not have a cash alternative.
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