More than £45,000 has been raised for a charity which supports child carers.
Oxfordshire housebuilder Barratt and David Wilson Homes has completed its year-long fundraising campaign for Be Free Young Carers, surpassing its £45,000 target.
Be Free Young Carers is the only charity in the county dedicated to young carers aged between eight and 17.
The Didcot-based charity offers recreational, emotional and social support to youngsters who shoulder the responsibility of caring for others.
It has been operating for more than 28 years throughout south Oxfordshire and the Vale of White Horse District, and has recently expanded in Oxford City.
There are approximately 12,000 young carers in Oxfordshire alone - equivalent to two children in every classroom - and research indicates young carers often experience more than twice the level of unhappiness compared to their peers.
Sabiene North, CEO at Be Free Young Carers, said: "We deeply value our partnership with Barratt and David Wilson Homes.
"We are delighted with the fundraising support that we have received, but also the support in collecting and delivering our Christmas hampers to hundreds of young carers at Christmas time.
"We would like to thank their whole team for getting involved, to those who took part in the sky dive, who attended the clay pigeon shoot, those that donated money and their time to support Oxfordshire’s young carers, we thank you.
"Their money and time has truly impacted our small charity and has helped to change the lives of our young carers."
The developer organised a number of fundraising activities to exceed its target.
These included a clay pigeon shoot at Barbury Shooting School, which raised £14,000.
It also sponsored 90 festive hampers for young carers at the charity's Christmas party in 2023 and some of its employees took part in a skydive to raise additional funds.
An internal breakfast fundraiser allowed staff to purchase breakfast rolls to contribute to the cause and the developer’s contractors also volunteered to improve the charity’s temporary premises by knocking down a wall to create a more open-plan space.
The final donation, totalling £45,459, was boosted by match-funding from Barratt Developments.
Campbell Gregg, managing director at Barratt and David Wilson Homes Southern, said: "We are incredibly proud to have exceeded our fundraising target for Be Free Young Carers.
"Supporting these young individuals who make such selfless contributions to their families and communities is truly rewarding.
"This achievement reflects our commitment to making a positive difference in the lives of those around us, and we are grateful to everyone who participated and donated."
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