Vertu MINI Exeter And North Devon Hospice Partnership Drives Fundraising Boost
A partnership between Vertu MINI Exeter and North Devon Hospice has directly contributed £4,500 towards the charity, and helped to generate thousands more via fundraising events throughout 2025.
The partnership is helping local patients and families get the care they need, while facing the impact of a life-limiting illness.
The £4,500 contributed by Vertu MINI Exeter this year, via event sponsorship and other fundraising activities, is enough to fund care at home for around 15 patients. This allows those who are approaching the end of life to have the support of a North Devon Hospice community nurse, to be there for them every step of the way.
The partnership is set to continue into 2026, with both organisations committed to building on the success of the past year.
Since January, Vertu MINI Exeter has supported the hospice as a Corporate Partner, sponsoring its three flagship fundraising events; Nightwalk, the North Devon Marathon, and Mission: Unbreakable.
These events help drive forward efforts to raise the £7m North Devon Hospice needs to deliver its vital care.
The dealership, based at Marsh Barton, has provided support vehicles for events and also held its own fundraising events, including coffee mornings with MINI enthusiasts.
The initiative is part of MINI's wider Local Heroes programme, designed to uplift lives, connect with new audiences, and champion the people and places that make each community unique.
The three main fundraising events, which were each sponsored by Vertu MINI Exeter, attracted more than 2,500 participants in total.
Nightwalk alone drew more than 1,000 women to the Tarka Trail for an 11-mile moonlit walk. Mission: Unbreakable saw 750 competitors tackle a 10km commando-style obstacle course, while the North Devon Marathon welcomed runners from across the UK to one of the country’s toughest and most scenic races. In total, £226,000 was raised by participants across the three events.
Stephen Roberts, Chief Executive of North Devon Hospice, said the impact of the partnership had been felt far beyond the financial support.
He said: “Thanks to Vertu MINI Exeter, we’ve been able to fund vital care in people’s homes. Their support means that around 15 local people will be able to be cared for in their own home, by our amazing team of community nurses, for a whole year. That’s 15 different families who will have someone by their side during the most difficult moments. It’s a real and lasting difference.”
He added, “We rely on long-term partnerships like this to make our work possible. Vertu MINI Exeter’s commitment has helped us to deliver large-scale fundraising events that not only raise vital funds, but also bring the community together in support of local care.”
Gareth Cornell, General Manager at Vertu MINI Exeter, said: “Working with North Devon Hospice has been incredibly rewarding. Getting to know the team there and seeing the difference our support makes to help an event run smoothly - knowing it’s funding real care in people’s homes - has brought our team closer to the community we serve.
“We’re very much looking forward to continuing this partnership in 2026, and hope to build upon it to support the hospice to help even more people.”
Robert Forrester, Chief Executive of Vertu Motors plc, added: “This partnership reflects our commitment to supporting local communities in ways that matter.
"The team at Vertu MINI Exeter has embraced this wholeheartedly, and the results speak for themselves. It’s a brilliant example of how sustained collaboration can deliver real impact.”