Shropshire groups' joy at receiving aid from Denso

A number of county community groups are celebrating after being handed donations by Denso Manufacturing UK through The Community Foundation for Shropshire & Telford.

At a special presentation, Mark Hayward, MD of the Telford plant of Denso, handed a cheque for £10,000 to Mike Lowe, chairman of the community foundation, marking eight years of giving by the company to local good causes through the foundation.

Part of the annual donation to the Denso Community Fund goes directly to provide grants to community groups throughout Telford to improve the quality of life for many local people.

The rest is invested to ensure that Denso's donations will benefit local people for years to come.

Several of the groups who have received grants recen-tly were also presented with their cheques at the event and spoke about their projects.

Telford West Indian Association has received funding to enable the local young members of the Caribbean Sunshine Steel Band to improve their playing skills.

Telford & Wrekin Senior Citizens' Forum will be using their grant to update a leaflet on healthy lifestyles activities available to older people in the borough.

Shropshire & Mid Wales Kidney Patients Association will be able to purchase equipment for a caravan to enable those on long-term dialysis to have a few days break in between treatment.

Telford Community Stage School will be working with disadvantaged young people to produce a performing arts project. And Wellington Boxing Club has received funding to purchase equipment to set up.

Grants Officer Lynne Carney said: "These are just a few of the vital local groups the Community Foundation are able to fund every year, thanks to the support of Denso. These grants are small in themselves but make a big difference and put together the projects they support are the glue in our communities."

For more information call (01952) 201858, e-mail contact@cfshropshireandtelford.org.uk or visit the website www.cfshropshireandtel ford.org.uk

By Ben Bentley