Seven local good causes have received a boost with awards totalling £3,500 to support their work, after the final round of donations from Foster’s Fund, a scheme set up by Torbay’s former MP Kevin Foster.
Foster’s Fund is based on a pledge made by Kevin when he was first elected to parliament in 2015. He pledged to not only oppose the 10% pay rise proposed for MPs at the time, but to reject it via donations to local charities if IPSA implemented it despite his objections. Kevin renewed this pledge at the last General Election in December 2019 and promised to continue Foster’s Fund until the end of the last parliament.
Over the last 9 years this pledge has seen over £60,000 donated to local charities working in Torbay via Foster’s Fund.
As Kevin was not re-elected, he made a final round of donations to fulfil the pledge made in 2019 and clear the outstanding balance in the Charity Account. The final round of awards saw the following donations made: Catholic Children’s Society (£500), 10th Torbay (Babbacombe) Sea Scouts (£500), Pheonix Rising (£500), Babbacombe & St Marychurch Local History Society (£500), Torbay Prostate Support Association (£500), Hector’s House Cat Rescue (£500) and Swim Torquay Ltd (£500).
Projects funded by the final round of donations included a new projector for history talks, work to raise awareness of prostate cancer, washing machines to support new cat pens, replacing 20 buoyancy aids and support for domestic abuse victims.
Kevin Foster said: “When I first made this pledge, it was part of doing things differently and not just taking the pay rise being implemented when I had known the salary for the job when I was first selected to stand in 2013.”
“Over the last 9 years dozens of groups and good causes have benefitted from Foster’s Fund, with lots of work done to make a difference. This final set of awards will make a difference for a range of good causes in our bay and fulfils the pledge I made in 2019.”
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