Groups gathering vital tokens in £20,000 Cash for your Community campaign

Fifty groups across the county and Mid Wales will share a £20,000 dream fund under the scheme, run by the Shropshire Star in partnership with Enterprise Flex-E-Rent/Burnt Tree Vehicle Rental.

Marie Monk-Hawksworth of The Friendly Transport Service, which provides help where there is a lack of public transport in and around Broseley, Much Wenlock, Cressage, Barrow and South Telford, said there had been an excellent response so far.

Tokens are printed in the newspaper each day, and if you want to lend your support to any of the groups, simply collect as many tokens as possible and post them to the address provided in the lists of all 50 groups at www.shropshirestar.com/cfyc

"We have got a box in our our office, and fliers around town, and a lot of our passengers are supporting us," she said.

"There's another group in the village which is collecting them, but I think a lot of people who are collecting are splitting them 50-50 between the two of us, they are being very fair about it."

She added that the campaign was also raising the profile of the work that the charities in the area did.

"We've even got a new volunteer who heard about us through it," said Marie.

Also in the village is the Broseley Heritage Centre Project, which seeks to create a new visitor attraction at All Saints' Church.

Chairman Paul Taylor said there were several collection points around the village, including the Spar shop, the newsagents and the social club. He said it had also created a lot of interest in the project.

"It has got a lot people talking around the village, and that has got to be a good thing," added Mr Taylor.

Robert Green, of East Shropshire Talking Newspaper for the Blind, decided to do a spot of door-to-door canvassing to get the message out.

"Most of the people were very supportive, with one or two it made me feel like I was the double-glazing salesman," he said.

Robert said many people had agreed to collect the coupons, and added that the scheme had also raised awareness about the charity.

"We have had people asking about what we do, which is good."

Telford-based Parents Opening Doors, which provides support for the families of children with special needs, is making use of its extensive network of contacts with its Cash For Your Community effort.

Administrator Paul Trobshaw said the charity had good links with parents at special schools across the area.

He said the group initially set a target of collecting 500 vouchers, but that was exceeded within a week.

The Sapphire Group for women who self-harm has a collection box at Shrewsbury police station and also at Chaddeslode House in the town's Abbey Foregate, says the group's Rosemarie Gittings.

"We're only a small charity, but we have been asking family and friends, and we have got a mention on our Facebook page," she said.

Wellington Cottage Care Trust runs a day-care centre staffed by nurses for adults of all ages with special medical needs or disabilities.

The charity's Sue Harris said the response had been good, having met its 500 target early on. She said several churches in the area had been helping with the appeal, including the Craft and Chat group at Wellington Methodist Church.

Laura Swain, of Christ Church Pre-school and Nursery in Bayston Hill, said collecting the tokens was a real community effort.

"We're only a small nursery, and I think a lot people in the village are collecting for another charity, but we've got all the parents and grandparents helping us, we are getting friends and family involved, everybody we possibly know," she said.

Radnor Valley Little Dragons day nursery in Presteigne, Powys, is also recruiting the help of parents and grandparents to help with the effort.

Chairman Shirley Hughes said the nursery wrote to parents at the start of the campaign, and the response had been superb.

Refurbish

The Severn Centre in Highley is raising funds to refurbish its outdoor swimming pool, which is now 45 years old.

The centre's Nadia Dodd said there had been a steady flow of people bringing their coupons into the centre.

Church Stretton First Responders, a volunteer organisation which supports West Midlands Ambulance Service, is trying to raise money towards a 4x4 vehicle to access remote areas.

The charity's Tracey Prosser said: "We have got collection points dotted all over Church Stretton, we have also advertised on Facebook. "We're only a small community, but we've got people collecting them for us, and all the volunteers are taking part."

Shrewsbury-based Autism West Midlands said a number of schools across Shropshire had rallied to their cause, by helping to collect tokens.

Fundraising officer Natalie Wood said: "We have got collection points in One Stop shops all across the county.

"It's really good for us to be asking people to support us by collecting tokens, rather than just donating financially."

The 1st Shrewsbury Scout Group needs funds for a new hut, and has a collection box at its base in Belvidere Avenue.

Chairman Jo Jones said: "All the parents have been popping in and putting their tokens in, and St Giles' Church have also got a collection box for us.

"Otherwise it's by word of mouth."

Home Start Telford and Wrekin, which provides support for people in difficult times of life, is also collecting tokens, with its army of volunteers all piling in to help. Fundraising manager Julia Allinson said she had been talking to local groups, encouraging them to help.

She said: "I gave a talk to the Fellowship of Women, and they were really interested, and said they would be collecting tokens for us."

North Shrewsbury Friendly Neighbours group sent letters out to all its volunteers asking them to support the appeal.

Volunteer Maggie Jones said: "All our volunteers have been asked to ask their friends. She added: "We have a poster up in our office, a poster in our shop, and we have got a lady who lives locally who brings them in from people she has collected them from."

Cambrian Heritage Railways, set up to promote the history of Oswestry's railways, is seeking a slice of the fund to pay for its smaller projects, such as general maintenance of its Oswald Road base.

"We have been in touch with all our members who live in Shropshire, asking them to speak to friends and family.

"We have had a good response."

Sue Pointon, of Telford and District Light Operatic Players (TADLOP) , said the group's members were asking their friends and family to collect as many tokens as possible.

"I believe some of our members have leafleted their neighbours," she added.

Confide Counselling Service in Shrewsbury is also drawing on its army of volunteers to collect tokens, as well as having a collection box in its office at the Roy Fletcher Centre in Cross Hill.

"Certain people have got friends collecting for us," said administrator Cathy Moore. "Hopefully we will do rather well."

Shropshire Rural Community Council has enlisted the help of the Royal Bank of Scotland, which has put collection points at its branches in Shrewsbury and Telford.

Charity chief executive Julia Baron said: "We have a collection point at our offices, where we have got a nice little pile building up."

The Marches School in Oswestry is trying to get support for its Springwatch garden and conservation club. Community partnerships co-ordinator Jo White said an appeal had been put out in the school bulletins, urging parents to rally support, and she said the children had also been keen to get involved.

"The children who have been involved with the gardening club have been really keen to help," she added.

The Beanstalk charity, which trains people to go into local primary schools to support children struggling with their reading, is drawing on its bank of supporters to collect the tokens.

Volunteer support worker Lucy Sobey said: "We have got 120 volunteers across Shropshire, and we have got all of them collecting for us.

"We have been very active on social media, reminding people to collect their tokens."

The groups taking part:

Send your tokens to them at these addresses:

• Telford Mind, 76-83 Severn Walk, Sutton Hill, Telford, TF 7 4AS.

• Horsehay Bowling Club, 38 Glendale, Lawley Village, Telford TF4 2PJ.

• Exotic Zoo Community Interest Company, Unit 9, Bradley Road Industrial Estate, Donnington Wood, Telford, TF2 7RG.

• Beanstalk Shropshire, Glebe House, Glebe Street, Wellington, TF1 1JP.

• North Shrewsbury Friendly Neighbours, 67 Park Street, Castlefields, Shrewsbury, SY1 2LE.

• Telford and District Light Operatic Players, 30 St Lawrence Close, Wellington, Telford, TF1 3GB.

• Shropshire Rural Community Trust, 4 The Creative Quarter, Shrewsbury Business Park, SY2 6LG.

• Telford Hornets RFC, c/o 24 Admaston Road, Wellington, Telford, TF1 3NE.

• Combat Stress, Audley Court, Audley Avenue, Newport, TF10 7BP.

• Cressage Village Hall, 12 Cherry Arbor, Cressage, SY5 6DL.

• Christchurch Pre-school and Nursery, Long Meadow, Bayston Hill, SY3 0NU.

• Telford and Wrekin Community First Responders, 89 Suffolk Way, Horsehay, Telford, TF4 3UL.

• Shrewsbury Juniors FC, 37 Roselyn, Shrewsbury, SY1 4LP.

• The Furniture Scheme, Rockspring Community Centre, Sandford Road, Ludlow, SY8 1SX.

• Wellington Cottage Care Trust, 79 Haygate Road, Wellington, Telford, TF1 2BJ.

• Lingen Davies Cancer Fund, Fundraising Office, Hamar Centre, Royal Shrewsbury Hospital, Mytton Oak Road, Shrewsbury, SY3 8XQ.

• Church Stretton Community First Responders, 1 Glebe Croft, Hope Bowdler, Church Stretton, SY6 7DA.

• Market Drayton Cricket, Betton Road, Market Drayton, TF9 1HH.

• Oakengates Carnival, 40 Market Street, Oakengates, Telford, TF2 6DU.

• Hope House Children’s Hospices, Nant Lane, Morda, near Oswestry, SY10 8BX.

• Hilbrae Rescue Kennels, Cold Hatton, Telford, TF6 6QJ.

• Autism West Midlands, Multi Agency Team, Richmond House, Rutland, Harlescott Grange, Shrewsbury, SY1 3QG.

• Shropshire Parent and Carer Council, Crabtree, Cottage, Dunns Heath, SY4 3HY.

• The Severn Centre Trust, Bridgnorth Road, Highley, WV16 6JG.

• East Shropshire Talking Newspaper for the Blind, c/o Shropshire Star, Waterloo Road, Ketley, Telford, TF1 5HU.

• Friendly Transport Service, 67 High Street, Broseley, TF12 5EY.

• Telford Sea Cadets, 5 Ash Grove, St Georges, Telford, Telford, TF2 9BZ

• Empathy for Special Children, Wetmoor Farm, Middlehope, Craven Arms, SY7 9JT.

• Whitchurch Community Centre Trust, 22, Dodington, Whitchurch, SY13 1EN.

• Broseley with Benthall PCC/Broseley Heritage Centre Project Group, 3 Blakeway Close, Broseley, TF12 5SS.

• Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution, Ashfield, Aston Rogers, Westbury, Shrewsbury, SY5 9HQ.

• 1st Shrewsbury Scout Group, 38 Woodhall Close, Castlefields, Shrewsbury, SY1 2TS.

• The Marches Springwatch Garden and Conservation Club, The Marches School, Morda Road, SY11 2AR.

• Seniors Gym Club, 13 Leadon Close, Little Dawley, Telford, TF4 3HT.

• Home-Start Telford and Wrekin, The Glebe Centre, Wellington, Telford, TF1 1JP.

• Parents Opening Doors (Pods), 17 Cranmore, Stirchley, Telford, TF3 1XR.

• Radnor Valley Little Dragons, The Old School, School Lane, New Radnor, Presteigne, LD8 2SS.

• Cruse Bereavement Care Telford & Wrekin, Cae-Onan, Millars Field, Morda, Oswestry, SY10 9PX.

• Telford and Horsehay Steam Trust, 38 Kenwray Drive, Donnington, Telford, TF2 7RZ.

• The Harry Johnson Trust, Lower Farm, Vennington, Shrewsbury, SY5 9RG.

• Sapphire Group, Sytche Cottage, Sytche Lane, Dorrington, SY5 7LL.

• Mark’s Pit Stop, 8 Allscott, Wellington, Telford, TF6 5EB.

• Lyneal-cum-Colemere Women’s Institute, 24 Swanmere Park, Ellesmere, SY12 0NA.

• Breathe Easy Telford and District, 7 Hampton Hill, Wellington, Telford, TF1 2EP.

• Perry Riding for the Disabled, Perry Cottage, Yeaton, Baschurch, SY4 2HY.

• Match Aid, 11 Morden Close, St Georges, Telford, TF2 9JB.

• Shrewsbury and Newport Canal Trust, 4 Arscott, Pontesbury, Shrewsbury, SY5 0XP.

• Confide Counselling Service, The Roy Fletcher Centre, 12-17 Cross Hill, Shrewsbury, SY1 1JE.

• Cambrian Heritage Railways, Station Building, Oswald Road, Oswestry, SY11 1RE.

• Climbing Out, 23 Limekiln Lane, Wellington, Telford, TF1 2JA.