Member Article

Barratt Homes sponsorship means Saints Foundation’s annual football event now open to women

A brand new ladies’ tournament has been introduced for the first time to Saints Foundation’s annual charity match, Play at St Mary’s, thanks to a £5,000 donation from Barratt Homes.

Previously, the popular 7-a-side charity football tournament has only included male teams. But, with the rise in popularity of women’s football over recent years, and with the Lionesses’ success at Euro 2022 boosting interest even more, Saints Foundation, has been eager to expand their tournament offering to include female footballers.

Barratt has been a supporter of the charity of Southampton football club for many years and, as a company looking to improve equality and diversity within its own organisation, wanted to help Saints Foundation get the new team up and running.

The Hampshire housebuilder paid £2,000 to enter its own teams – including a ladies team – and offered a further £3,000 in sponsorship money, bringing the total donation to £5,000. Barratt also offered to cover the cost of any local ladies teams that wanted to join in, but couldn’t afford the entry fee.

This year’s Play at St Mary’s event, which is aimed at local businesses, patrons of the charity and all Southampton FC fans, took place between 4pm and 7pm on Tuesday 30th May and it is hoped the ladies matches will now be a permanent fixture. Each team competed in the group stages, progressing to the quarter-finals, semi-finals and then on to the final.

Jazz Bhatti, Partnerships and Business Development Manager at Saints Foundation, said: “The support Barratt Homes gives us year on year is incredible and quite simply, makes our life-changing work in Southampton possible.

“We’re delighted to have them as headline sponsor for our Play at St Mary’s event this year. We now have two female teams joining us, made up of Saints Foundation volunteers as well as employees from Barratt – which is fantastic.”

Saints Foundation exist to support people in need throughout Southampton, providing life-changing opportunities to help our city and its communities thrive.

The Charity’s vision – a city where everyone has an equal opportunity to succeed, and Barratt Homes is delighted to be able to help with the charity’s annual football event.

James Dunne, Managing Director of Barratt Homes, Southampton Division, said: “We’ve worked with Saints Foundation for a long time and have seen first-hand the work they do in the community. We’re thrilled to be able to provide our support for its Play at St Mary’s event this year, and to see that the tournament is now open to female footballers.”

Play at St Mary’s took place on Tuesday 30th May. Winning teams and runners-up were awarded trophies, plates, and medals, respectively.

Saints Foundation looks after several projects in the region, all of which are transforming the lives of many people in the community.

Barratt Homes is committed to supporting the charities and organisations which improve the quality of life for those living in the region.

This was posted in Bdaily's Members' News section by Barratt Homes .