Uffculme School’s Equestrian Team are the latest recipients of Persimmon Homes South West’s Community Champions scheme.

The pupils at Uffculme School secured the £1,000 donation to fund their local and national competition entries as part of the self-funding team.

The team applied to the scheme after eight of their members, for the first time in the school’s history, qualified for the prestigious NSEA National Schools Championships in both the show-jumping and eventing competitions, which took place in May.

The funding will be used to facilitate training and travel for the students and horses when they compete in such competitions.

Persimmon is a five-star builder with a significant presence in the area, building its Mill Gardens site in Cullompton, where one-to-four bedroom homes are for sale from £225,000.

The housebuilder has committed over £2m towards a new primary school, contributions to early years, secondary and special needs education, a doctors’ surgery expansion, and a town centre road relief contribution as part of the developer’s plans.

Persimmon’s Community Champions scheme sees the company spend over £700,000 each year on local organisations across Britain every year. Other recent recipients in the area include Newton Abbot College, Hospiscare, and St John Ambulance.

Commenting, Persimmon Homes South West Sales Director Stacey Harris said:

“We’re really pleased to be able to help Uffculme School Equestrian Team with their fantastic achievement.

“Getting to attend a school where horse-riding is an option is great opportunity to do something that normally would never be an option, so to help young people compete in that sport is a great privilege.

“Hopefully, this will be something future generations of residents at our Mill Gardens site will get to experience as the team goes from strength to strength.”

Carla Dunnett, Head of PE at Uffculme School, added:

“Everyone on our team would like to say a big thank you to Persimmon for its help. We are lucky to have an equestrian team at Uffculme School, but it is self-funding and donations like Persimmon’s is a huge boost to our members.”