Charity success for Telford staff

Staff from a Midlands event group have raised more than £2,000 for a local charity and smashed their annual target.

The team from the Southwater Event Group - owners of The International Centre, Telford - nominated the Severn Hospice as their chosen charity for the year.

And the staff were so committed to the cause, that they beat their £1,500 target by 50% and raised a total of £2,315.

Lis Frost, who co-ordinates the charitable efforts for the Group, said activities had included: donations made online by staff in lieu of sending Christmas cards; a dragon boat race event; collection tins; and fancy dress collections.

"We asked our staff across the Group to nominate a chosen charity and for the last 12 months, the Severn Hospice was the most popular choice by far," said Lis.

"It was great for us to support a local charity and really focus our efforts on one beneficiary, and to beat our fund raising target by 50 per cent was a brilliant result."

Lis presented a cheque to Mike Perry, Severn Hospice's community fund raising advisor.

He said: "We are very grateful to everyone at the Southwater Event Group for helping to raise such a fantastic amount for our hospice.

"As a charity, we rely on people in the local community, and the organisations that represent them, to help us generate the income we need to continue providing care to patients and their families who are living with incurable diseases.

"The contribution that local businesses such as the Southwater Event Group make to our fundraising efforts is invaluable."

As well as The International Centre, Telford, the Southwater Event Group also comprises The Holiday Inn (Telford), The International Hotel, Grays Hotel, and in-house production company, Stagecraftuk.

Mike Perry, Severn Hospice's community fund raising advisor, receives the cheque from Southwater Event Group fund raising organiser, Lis Frost