The official charity arm of Newcastle United has reported a record-breaking revenue of £4.3m for the financial year 2019/20, enabling the organisation to provide life-changing opportunities for children, young adults, parents and elderly generations in their time of greatest need.
The revenue is the Foundation's highest in its 13-year history and is 13 per cent up on the same period last year - and more than double that of the same period four years ago.
The charity's interactive 2019/20 annual review documents an extraordinary 12 months where the Foundation, its employees, volunteers, supporters and funders all adapted to overcome significant challenges created by the Covid-19 pandemic.
More than 30,750 participants enjoyed Foundation programmes helping families and individuals to through education, physical activity and mentorship to improve their physical and mental health, become more employable and to reach their potential.
Alongside digital and face-to-face programme delivery, Newcastle United Foundation staff were at the forefront of community outreach at the height of the pandemic, ensuring thousands of vulnerable families were supported with more than 12,500 food parcel deliveries, mental health advice for NHS staff and 1,000 calls to elderly participants shielding alone.
Steve Beharall, Head of Newcastle United Foundation, said: "While every annual review is an opportunity for us to consider what we've achieved in the past 12 months, our latest review reflects a period of time where our charity developed rapidly to address issues caused by Covid-19.
"We continue to grow as an organisation despite these challenges and that is testament to the incredible support and hard work of our staff, funders, partners, donors, Newcastle United and the Premier League.
"We are ambitious and have lots to look forward to in the future, including the opening our new home - NUCASTLE - and the delivery of innovative new programmes to engage even more participants.
"But our focus for now is to empower our region to recover from the devastating impact of Covid-19 and to strengthen united communities, full of passion, pride and potential."
The 2019/20 annual review, published on the Foundation's website, also features the inspirational stories of participants of all ages, backgrounds and abilities from across the North East who have been supported to achieve their goals - from full-time employment to mental wellness and creating a more inclusive society.
The Foundation's future is also celebrated with planning permission secured to build NUCASTLE powered by Newcastle Building Society in July 2020. Construction work in Newcastle's West End is well now well under way to provide the North East with a state-of-the-art community hub opening in spring 2022.
"I am incredibly proud of all of my colleagues who have gone above and beyond during such a difficult time to ensure our communities were safe, reassured and inspired," added Beharall.
"The tireless hard work and dedication of our team has led to one of the most successful 12-month periods in our history and is certainly a time none of us will ever forget.
"Before and during the pandemic, none of the work we do each day would have been possible without the generosity and fantastic support from our funders who ensure we can continue to make a genuine difference in people's lives."
See Newcastle United Foundation's 2019/20 Annual Review in full on nufoundation.org.uk
