TWO local charities have received a combined £5,000 donation from The Cadbury Foundation.

Crediton Baby and Parent Support (BAPS), a baby and parental social group which helps socialise children and support mothers, has received £2,000.

And The Baby Room Exeter, which aims to serve the community by providing an affordable venue for local parental classes and groups, has been given £3,000.

The charities were nominated by local Ernest Jackson employee Vicky Rawlins, as part of a £75,000 initiative supporting charities across the UK and Ireland.

Ms Rawlins was selected for her outstanding commitment to the community. She chose The Baby Room Exeter and Crediton Baby and Parent Support, causes close to her heart, to receive the grant.

She said: “Both Crediton BAPS and The Baby Room offer vital peer support to parents in the early days of parenthood and onwards, providing easily accessible help and advice.

“I have been lucky enough to receive help from both groups and to have volunteered as well to support other parents.

“I feel very privileged to be able to offer this donation to them to help them to continue the work that they do.”

The Cadbury Foundation, which is celebrating its 90th anniversary this year, recently launched the Purple Heart Awards to recognise Mondelez International colleagues who go above and beyond in supporting their local communities.

As part of this peer-nominated initiative, colleagues from each UK and Ireland site were acknowledged with a donation to a charity of their choice, with a total of £75,000 awarded to charities and projects.

Louise Stigant, Managing Director of Mondelez International UK and Ireland, said: “We are incredibly proud to invest in the local communities in which we operate, and as we celebrate 90 years of making a difference, we’re inspired to build on this legacy.”