Three charities have been awarded a share of £15,884.49 thanks to the fundraising efforts of Stoke-on-Trent’s former Lord Mayor.
During the 12-month period Councillor Steve Watkins was in office, he raised thousands of pounds for his chosen charities – Help for Heroes, Saltbox and National Literacy Trust Stoke-on-Trent.
A range of fundraising activities took place throughout the year, including a 1920s-themed afternoon tea and the publication of a children’s book written by former Lady Mayoress, Councillor Lynn Watkins. The book offers a cats-eye view of the Lord Mayor’s year in office and proved a popular with children and families across the city.
Cllr Steve Watkins, former Lord Mayor of Stoke-on-Trent, said: “It’s been a real honour to serve as Lord Mayor and to support three such important charities.
“I’m incredibly grateful to everyone who attended events, bought the book or made a donation. Your generosity has made a genuine difference and will help these organisations continue their vital work.”
Linda Smith, Saltbox Operations Manager for Saltbox’s Carelink service, said: “We are so grateful at Saltbox to have been chosen as one of the Lord Mayor’s charities this year. We will use this generous donation towards the ongoing running costs of our Carelink service which supports older people who are struggling with loneliness and isolation. We do this through our telephone befriending service, where dedicated volunteers make weekly keep-in-touch calls to our beneficiaries who may otherwise not speak to anyone during the week. We also run 5 weekly Chatty Cafes across the city, and run monthly trips to a wide variety of venues near and far.”