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To celebrate October being Big Hearted Bears Month we have created a list of 10 things you may or may not know about the Rangers Charity Foundation.

1. We were formed in 2002
Although the Club had a charitable impact long before then the Rangers Charity Foundation was officially created in October 2002 and registered with the Scottish Charity Regulator OSCR. We exist to be a force for good on behalf of the Rangers Family, showing compassion to those in need, tackling inequalities and creating opportunities for people of all ages to change their lives for the better.

2. Ibrox is our home
As an important member of the Rangers Family we are based at Ibrox Stadium. Situated in Argyle House in the Sandy Jardine Stand our office is open Monday to Friday from 9am-5pm. Supporters are welcome to come and visit us at any time and we can also be contacted by email at rangerscharity@rangers.co.uk or by phone on 0141 580 8775. We are also increasing our matchday presence at Ibrox throughout the season – look out for our Rangers Charity Foundation zone at the match against Kilmarnock on October 25.

3. We have donated millions of pounds
Last year we received over 2,800 requests from supporters who were raising money for causes close to their heart. We replied to every request and were able to send a donation such as a signed photograph, signed football, match tickets, Stadium tours or a goodie bag to an amazing 90% of them. Our total cash and in-kind donations since we were formed now stands at £4.6 million – a truly astounding figure.

4. We love to work with other charities
The Foundation works with charity partners each season to fund projects that have a lasting and significant impact in our community and beyond.  This season we are working with Unicef, Glasgow City Mission, Simon Community Scotland, the Glasgow Children’s Hospital Charity, Scottish Autism and three services-related charities – Erskine, The Coming Home Centre in Govan and AA Veterans Support in Northern Ireland, You can find out more about each charity partnership on our Partnerships page here. Some of our previous charity partners include Breast Cancer Care Scotland, SAMH, The Prince and Princess of Wales Hospice and Maggies. Every matchday we also arrange for other charities to be allowed on to the Stadium footprint to raise money for their own cause through bucket collections.
 
5. We are proud to be part of our community
Since April 2016 we have taken responsibility for community programme work that was previously carried out by the Club. We now deliver more than 20 programmes in the Glasgow area connected to health and wellbeing, diversity and inclusion, education and employability, which together reach more than 5,000 people. Last season we contributed £5,000 to the Govan Ward Community Budgeting initiative which offers financial support to local community and voluntary projects. We also collected over 1.5 tonnes of groceries for the foodbank at Ibrox Parish Church and helped fund the Govan Loves Christmas activities. New for this season, we are working with Community Safety Glasgow to arrange for the Foundation and a team of volunteers to carry out regular clean ups of the area around Ibrox. More information is available on our Volunteering page.

6. We have our own classroom in Ibrox
We run a high tech, multimedia classroom in the Broomloan Stand in partnership with Glasgow City Council. The first of its kind when it opened, the classroom is staffed by a qualified teacher, and is visited throughout the year by local pupils who undergo programmes designed to enhance and complement the work of the school. Although the hub is our education base we also have a number of coaches delivering initiatives in schools across the city and further afield. Last season for example, we delivered programmes such as the Old Firm Alliance and +Sport, Move and Learn in 67 primary and secondary schools.

7. We have an amazing calendar of events
Each season we hold a number of fundraising and challenge events that provide some unforgettable moments along the way. Our flagship fundraising event is our annual Charity Ball when around 500 people – including the first team squad – enjoy dinner, dancing, a raffle and auction. This year’s event has a Masquerade theme and takes place on 18 November. Most recently we held a sold-out Q&A night with the manager Pedro Caixinha, Jonatan Johansson, Graham Dorrans and Josh Windass. Other events during the season often include a Ladies Lunch, Christmas Party and Race Night. Our challenge events are always backed by our amazing supporters. Last season our Arran Cycle raised over £15,000 our Ibrox Fun Run raised nearly £20,000 and our Big Ibrox Sleep Outs raised £52,000. We never ask supporters to do anything we wouldn’t do though. Over the past year Foundation staff have taken part in events including a skydive, 10K run and our Director Connal raised over £5,000 for our Armed Forces Partnership by walking 79 miles in 34 hours. We truly do have something for everyone. Have a look on our Events page for more information.

8. We like to make dreams come true
The Foundation has a proud tradition of making the dreams of those in need of a boost come true and we have our very own Rangers Charity Dream Fund to ensure this happens. The Dream Fund is made up of a number of exclusive experiences. These include the behind the scenes Dream Day which involves attendees meeting the entire first team squad and watching them train at the Rangers Football Centre before heading to Ibrox for lunch and a tour. The Dream Matchday Experience sees guests given tickets to watch a Rangers game in style in a hospitality box at Ibrox and get the chance to meet a first team player. A Dream Letter from the Foundation includes a signed photograph or souvenir pack and a letter from a Rangers player. The Foundation also arranges for players to visit the Royal Hospital for Children and our Tickets For Good initiative provides free match tickets for those who may not have otherwise been able to attend a game.

9. We consider our supporters to be heroes
Any supporter who raises over £100 for us by taking on a personal challenge and any supporter who volunteers 25 hours or more of their time with us becomes a True Blue Hero and is invited to a special ceremony in Ibrox Stadium to receive a medal and pin badge from a first team player. Our supporters raised an incredible £238,955 to help us make a difference last year and we are grateful for every penny. This year we have introduced the True Blue Hero Pledge to make it easier for supporters to commit to becoming a True Blue Hero. Take the True Blue Hero Pledge here.

10. There are lots of ways you can stay up to date with us
We like to keep our supporters updated on the work we do. The best place to find out about our charity partnerships, events and community work is here on our website. We also have official Facebook, Twitter and Instagram accounts that you can follow and you can sign up to receive a regular e-newsletter from us by scrolling to the bottom of our homepage and entering your email address. Those who do so before 12pm on October 31, 2017 will be automatically entered into a free prize draw to win a signed Rangers shirt. As well as our own channels you can keep up with the Foundation via the official Club website, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Snapchat. We also have a feature in every Rangers home matchday programme and in each edition of WATP magazine.