Crunchie Initiative hits first major funding goal with £10,000 raised

Having spent the last six months selling merchandise and holding raffles the organisers have brought in £10,000 towards their expected target of £25,000.

Dave McInally, founder of The Crunchie Initiative, told The Falkirk Herald that hitting this goal so early, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic, has surpassed his expectations.

He said: “We only really went public in May so it's been six months of funding,during Covid-19 times as well, and it's a great effort getting this far.

"Of course, It wouldn’t have been achieved without the help of the fans and everyone who had gotten behind us.

"It's absolutely surpassed my expectations, in terms of us going out to raise money we knew we had to start sooner rather than later. We want to get it done by the summer, when we hope fans are back, because we want to unveil it in front of a big crowd and have them welcome Crunchie and give him the appreciation he deserves.”

The main cost in the work the initiative wants to do is building a structural support for the lettering which will hang over the stand.

In terms of naming and lettering there were cheaper options available but McInally says it’s important that they do things properly and hopes that by selling each letter individually, with businesses or average punters having their name engraved in to the letter, that will bridge the bulk of the remaining £15,000 gap.

"It’s ambitious but achievable to secure the funding for the summer.

"We've reached out to several people who have expressed interest in buying a letter and would always have a part of the stadium that is theirs.

“In the meantime we still have all the merchandise that we’ve been raising funds through for sale.

"The prints alone have brought in just under £5000 turnover and the Christmas bobbles brought in around £1200. We're still bringing in money from the McAlliser IPA with Brian Flynn from Behind the Wall just donating his first cheque from the £1 he is donating from each pint sold.

"As always, we’re still exploring more opportunities.”