FOUR charities have won cash in a competition to celebrate 10 years of support for community groups by Oxfordshire businesses.

Daybreak Oxford, Emmaus, Oxfordshire Sexual Abuse and Rape Crisis Centre and SeeSaw all won £250 and a package of support, and pitched for extra help from businesses in a Dragon’s Den event with a difference.

They each made a bid for a £1,000 prize at the 10th anniversary party for the Chalgrove-based Monument Community Trust at Tap Social in Botley.

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The trust, which is based at Jennings’ Monument Business Park in Chalgrove, provides a range of skills and support from the business world to charities.

Paul Mabbutt, the managing director at Jennings and one of the founders said: “Ten years ago we had the really simple idea of using our links to businesses to get charities and businesses together.

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"Rather than offering money from businesses, we wanted to provide their expertise. We believe that skills are much more valuable if they are freely given.

"Small charities can’t employ people with all the skills or afford to buy them either. People in businesses across the county have so much to give.

"At Monument Community Trust we’ve been able to find plenty of people and companies willing to help out.”