Charity founded after Chichester student’s death reaches £500k milestone

A charity set up to honour a University of Chichester student who tragically died in a car crash has passed a £500,000 fundraising millstone.

The Steve Bernard Foundation, established in 2006 after the undergraduate’s death, exceeded the half-a-million-pound mark in March. The charity raises money for community sport projects across the south coast, often through extreme activities.

Its founder Tony Bernard, who was given an honorary degree from Chichester in 2016 on behalf of his son, pledged to continue raising money for people in need. He said: “When Stevie passed away, we wanted to turn a tragic situation into a positive and celebrate his life through his passion in sport.

“Raising £500,000 is an incredible achievement which has allowed people to follow their sporting dreams and ambitions. The generosity of people with their time, donations, and support has allowed us to build a strong community which means we can continue to keep Stevie’s memory alive.”

Since 2006, the Foundation has supported more than 650 sporting projects across 60 different sports with financial support and new equipment. It is part of the charity’s legacy to student Steve, who was training to become PE teacher at the University, to help people and communities benefit from sport.

Anne Elliott, who oversees the University of Chichester Students’ Union, said: “We have a strong connection with the Foundation who do so much for people in our area. That they have passed the £500,000 mark is no surprise given their incredible impact on young people across the last 16 years – which keeps the memories and passion of Stevie very much alive.”

For more about the Steve Bernard Foundation, and how it helps community sport projects across the south coast, go to www.stevebernardfoundation.com.