MERKUR Casino Donates £2,000 to Somerset Wildlife Trust as Gold Corporate Sponsor

_{Trust can expand its programme. (Image: (MERKUR Casino)}

MERKUR Casino has donated £2,000 to Somerset Wildlife Trust, becoming a Gold Corporate Sponsor in support of the charity’s work to engage local communities with nature. The donation is part of MERKUR’s national Community Programme, which funds social responsibility projects across the UK.

Formed in 1964 as The Somerset Trust for Nature Conservation, Somerset Wildlife Trust focuses on protecting habitats, encouraging citizen science, and connecting people with wildlife through education, arts, and wellbeing initiatives.

The partnership will support the Trust’s community engagement work, including events, training, and nature-based activities aimed at bringing people closer to Somerset’s natural environment.

Supporting Wildlife and Community

Theresa Jones, fundraising development manager at Somerset Wildlife Trust, said:
“Our Wilder Communities team has been supporting lots of communities with advice to get started or continue with amazing local projects across the county. 

'Areas and groups supported include the Welly to Wivvy corridor, Drayton Parish Council, Ash & Martock nature group, Taunton Rotary, Enmore School, and Seeds of Hope.”

Jones added that the Trust’s engagement team has worked with families across Somerset to combine creativity and conservation:
“Members of the engagement team delivered nature and wellbeing activities including nature-based reading (fiction and nonfiction), a seasonal craft activity of painting/mark making with blackberries and creating a nature inclusion poem together to be displayed in the library at Langport over the summer.”

These events, she said, helped build relationships between local families and the library service, and inspired more residents to get involved with the Trust’s nature programmes.

A Growing Commitment to Local Causes

MERKUR Casino’s Community Programme is funded by the company and voluntary donations from customers at its venues nationwide. Since its launch, the initiative has donated £291,541.54 to more than 130 community groups and charities across the UK.

Mark Schertle, chief operating officer at MERKUR Casino, said:

“We are pleased to be working with Somerset Wildlife Trust and to support their vision to create and conserve the county’s wildlife and environment." 

"Additionally, their passion to spread the word and encourage others to get involved aligns perfectly with the MERKUR Community Programme, so for us to assist them in their mission is fantastic and gives us the opportunity to give back to the communities in which we operate.”

The collaboration highlights a growing trend among UK gaming firms to support local environmental and wellbeing initiatives, part of an effort to build stronger community ties and demonstrate a wider social purpose.

Trust can Expand Programmes Thanks to MERKUR Casino

Somerset Wildlife Trust plays a crucial role in restoring habitats and connecting communities to their local green and blue spaces. With corporate backing from partners such as MERKUR Casino, the Trust can expand its outreach programmes and continue delivering free nature and wellbeing activities across the region.

For MERKUR, the donation reinforces its commitment to responsible gaming and local engagement, ensuring its venues contribute positively to the areas they serve.