News

It’s coming back. Cash For Your Community returns once more this year, once more distributing £20,000 among the unsung good causes which make our area so special.

This year’s campaign, which we are once more running in partnership with Enterprise Flex-e-Rent, will take the total amount shared out between charities and community groups to a whopping £100,000.

Once more, one group is guaranteed to receive £5,000 from our prize fund, and we are inviting charities and voluntary groups to register their interest now.

The £5,000 handed over to last year’s biggest recipient, Shropshire and Staffordshire Blood Bikes, is already being used to help saves lives in the county.

The charity, formed five years ago, is staffed entirely by volunteers, and fundraising manager Lynne Stone said it meant that they could more easily carry vital medical supplies to hospitals in the area.

“Our substantial win enabled us to purchase and install a new secure motorbike shed in north Shropshire, which meant that the many volunteer bikers in the area had ready access to a liveried blood bike and could speedily serve the operational needs of our local Shropshire hospitals and beyond.”

Since its launch in 2015, Cash For Your Community has handed over 180 cheques to 139 different groups, totalling £80,000.

This year we are looking to help 35 groups.

Once the groups have been chosen, it is our readers who will decide how the money is shared out by collecting tokens that are printed in the Shropshire Star.

Each organisation will get a share of the money depending on how many tokens they have been able to collect.

In 2017, we gave £5,000 to The Movement Centre, based at the Robert Jones and Orthopaedic Hospital in Gobowen, near Oswestry. It used the money to buy a machine known as ‘the magic carpet’, which helps children with conditions such as cerebral palsy improve their ability to move about, and in some cases help them to walk. It was fantastic for us, it was a complete surprise,” she said.

“We had no idea we would be in the top three, we were just delighted to have been selected.

“We have been a charity for quite a long time, but we had been quiet about it.

“As well as getting the money, all the coverage in the Shropshire Star was really good, and it was lovely to meet the people from the other organisations.”

Tom McDonald of Enterprise Flex-e-Rent said he was delighted to be working with the Shropshire Star once more. He said the good work of local groups was “awe inspiring”.

“We at Enterprise pride ourselves on our founding values, working to strengthen our bonds with the communities our customers and colleagues live and work in.

“As a proud Shropshire resident, we are delighted to again be supporting fantastic charities and community groups throughout the region as part of the Cash For Your Community campaign.”

News

Shropshire Star photographer Steve Leath got a surprise when he turned up to cover a presentation being made by Telford & Wrekin’s Mayor Raj Mehta – when he discovered the presentation was being made to himself.

Raj had chosen Steve for one of his community awards in recognition of his going the extra mile in his work.

And when Raj sprung the surprise as unsuspecting Steve arrived with his camera at the Shropshire Star offices, he said: “No way! I don’t get awards. That’s fantastic – awesome.

“I’ve been doing this job for 14 years and that’s something really special. It means a lot.”

Raj said: “Ever since I became mayor I have wanted to make sure the gems of the community are not missed and the efforts of people are recognised.

“Whenever I have met him I have been struck by his politeness and humbleness, and his going the extra mile and out of his way.
“He is not just there as a photographer – he looks after everything and everyone.

“It’s very hard to find somebody who has those qualities all in one.
“And it’s without wanting something back.

“I noticed that, and that’s the key.

“He is the first journalist to receive this award.”

Steve, who lives in Perton, Wolverhampton, said: “I was told that I would be doing a certificate presentation. I didn’t realise it was for me!

“I’ve never been given a certificate before.

“I’m going to have to think about where to keep it, but I think I may have it in my dining room on the cabinet.

“Sometimes in this job I end up doing a lot of hours and it’s because you don’t want to let people down.

“You hope it is appreciated, and this shows that it is.”

The citation on the Mayor’s Certificate of Recognition 2018 reads: “I proudly award Steve Leath, for your outstanding contribution and commitment with the Shropshire Star and wider community.”

News

An incredible 16,000 food items and toiletries were donated to the Express & Star’s Feed a Family This Christmas appeal.

The MNA have been overwhelmed by the kindness of people across the Black Country and Staffordshire who have really dug deep to help those less fortunate.

Our drop-off points have been inundated with an array of food and toiletries with schools, businesses, scouts and health workers among those lending a helping hand.

Among the charities supported by the appeal was The Well (Home of the Wolverhampton Foodbank).

Project leader Gary Price said: “I want to say a big thank you to everybody who has collected for the appeal. It’s going to be a huge help to people at Christmas.

“Demand is growing and growing so these donations will make a big difference to families.”

The appeal has also benefitted the Black Country Food Bank, which has centres across Dudley, Sandwell and Walsall, the Good Shepherd Ministry, based in Wolverhampton, the Haven women’s and children’s refuge and Cannock and District Food Bank.

The E&S launched the appeal for the third year running in response to food banks and charities seeing numbers needing support continuing to rise.

Many are faced with the choice of either eating or heating their home.

Food banks and charities are also supporting many homeless people as well as rough sleepers and ‘sofa-surfers’.

All of the donations will help to make their lives a little easier this Christmas.

Express & Star editor Martin Wright said: “The response has been absolutely incredible.

“For so many people and organisations to support this campaign is incredibly humbling.

“There is no doubt that the generosity of our readers helped to make an enormous difference this Christmas and I would like to express my sincere thanks to all those who have supported the campaign. It certainly made Christmas a lot merrier for many people.”

News

The Shropshire Star Toy Appeal campaign 2018 was a huge success.

An incredible lunchtime saw hundreds of gifts pour into the Shropshire Star office and Storage King Christmas Toy Appeal within the space of a few minutes.

A group of six youngsters from Charlton School in Wellington delivered 160 gifts into the reception the head office in Telford – just moments after a group of workers from Moba UK brought in a further 40 gifts worth a total of £235.

Meanwhile, over at Storage King in Shrewsbury, a school from Whitchurch brought in dozens more gifts, while Ian Middleton brought in a massive hoard of presents suitable for youngsters of all ages.

The gifts, which included toys, games, biscuits, books, stationery and toiletries, will be shared out among five different groups at a special handover ceremony in December.

Charlton pupil Chloe Ballantyne, 16, said she and her schoolmates had been delighted to help with the appeal.

“Everybody should have a nice Christmas, and everybody should get something for Christmas,” she said.

“We know that we are privileged, and we want to help children who might be living in difficult circumstances.”

Maisie Neill, 15, added: “We wanted to make a difference.”

Eimutis Bartkev, who works at Moba, in Red Lees, Ketley, said he had supported a similar appeal to help children in his native Lithuania last year, but wanted to do something to help youngsters closer to home.

“I found out about this in the Shropshire Star, so I asked the people at work if they could give some money so we could buy some toys.”

The appeal aims to bring a little joy to children who might otherwise find Christmas a difficult time of year.

In 2018, the Shropshire Star supported five different organisations, including The Movement Centre in Gobowen, which provides therapies for children with cerebral palsy; Telford Young Carers which supports youngsters who care for a loved one; and The Harry Johnson Trust which provides help for children being treated for cancer. Hope House Children’s Hospice at Morda, near Oswestry, and the children’s ward at Shrewsbury and Telford Hospital NHS Trust will also benefit.