Cash For Your Community 2019 - who do you want to get a share of our £20,000 giveaway?
Would you like to do something remarkable, that could help change people's lives? Well, here is your chance.
Once more, the Shropshire Star is joining forces with Enterprise Flex-E-Rent to give away £20,000 to good causes, and today we announce the 35 groups that have been selected to receive a share of the prize fund.
Each of the groups will get a share of the cash – but how much each one gets is up to you. All you have to do is collect tokens as they are printed in the Shropshire Star and send them on to your chosen group or groups.
The more tokens each group receives, the more cash it will get. And your efforts will make a real difference.
The group that collected the most tokens last year walked away with a fantastic £5,000, allowing it to expand its lifesaving work in the north of the county. The previous year's biggest winner bought a machine that could change the lives of disabled children.
But it's not just about the group which comes top. The organisation which collects the second biggest number of tokens will received £2,000, and the one in third place will get £1,000.
The other 32 groups will receive a share of the remaining £12,000. In a supplement in today's Shropshire Star we explain the valuable work that each of these groups performs in their communities, and explains what they intend to do with their share of the money.
Full list of our 35 chosen groups:
AFC Bridgnorth
Anstice Community Trust
Challenging Perceptions
Cuan Wildlife Rescue
Dawley Wanderers
Dog Assistance in Disability
Donnington Friends of Severn Hospice
Guide Dogs Shrewsbury
Hope House
Omega Care For Life
Live At Home
Parents Supporting Parents
Prees Junior FC
Read Easy UK
Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution
Shrewsbury Epilepsy Support Group
Shrewsbury Food Hub
Shropshire Domestic Abuse Service
Shropshire Stags
Shropshire Academy and Learning Trust
Shropshire Disabled Cricket Team
Shropshire Motor Neurone Disease Association
Shropshire Prostate Cancer Support Group
Shropshire and Staffordshire Blood Bikes
Small Woods Association
Telford Armed Forces & Veterans Breakfast Club
Telford Repair Cafe
Telford & Wrekin Parkinsons Support Group
The Friendly Transport Service
The Harry Johnson Trust
The Movement Centre
The Myfam Project
The Plantation Wood
Touched by a Suicide
West Mercia Search and Rescue
Where do I send my Cash for Your Community Tokens?
Some want to use their money to expand or improve existing services, others will use it to help with their day-to-day running costs or provide special treats for the people they look after. Some of the organisations target a particular age group, some specialise in helping those with a particular illness or disability.
What they all have in common is a mission to help others and make Shropshire and Mid Wales a better place.
All you have to do to help is read each of the profiles in this supplement and decide which ones you believe will make the biggest difference.
Once you have decided which ones you wish to support, it is then time to start collecting the tokens.
The first token is printed on the front page of today's supplement, and they will continue to appear in the paper until April 6. Simply cut them out, keep them safe, and send them directly to your favourite causes using the addresses printed with the profiles. On some days we will be printing multiple tokens – we will give more details of this closer to the date.
The good causes have until April 26 to submit all their tokens for verification, so it is vital that you get them to your chosen organisations in plenty of time.
Milestone
Shropshire Star editor Martin Wright said: “This is the fifth year that we have worked with Enterprise Flex-E-Rent to make a real difference to our communities.
"This year's campaign is a major milestone as it will take the amount distributed to £100,000.
"When you look at the work that Cash For Your Community has been able to support since we launched the scheme in 2015, it is truly humbling to see.
"This is an opportunity for Shropshire Star readers to make a real difference.
"Just reading through this supplement shows how this year's finalists are some of the strongest yet.
"Being able to help them in their work is a remarkable privilege."
Danny Glynn, managing director of Enterprise Flex-E-Rent, said: "It is fantastic to once again be part of Cash For Your Community for what is now the fifth year of Enterprise’s sponsorship of the campaign.
"Having seen hundreds of entries over the years, it was tougher than ever this time to select the finalists, but even more inspiring to see the incredible work done across Shropshire by so many of you. "I’d like to take this opportunity to thank all of those charities and community groups who have entered Cash For Your Community during the last five years for their hard work, commitment and dedication which has been frankly awe-inspiring.
"Enterprise has formalised its founding values into a set of guiding principles, but more than anything we know that healthy and prosperous communities are the lifeblood of our business. To the final 35 for 2019, we are excited to see what you do with your slice of the prize fund. Good luck in your token collecting efforts."
The finale of the £20,000 giveaway will come at a presentation at Shrewsbury Town’s stadium in June.
Don’t forget, tokens need to be sent directly to your chosen groups – do not send them to the Shropshire Star.
All addresses can be found on our website community.shropshirestar.com
Get collecting now!