Staff show charitable side

Local Council staff in south Warwickshire have been showing their generous side by supporting charities in the run-up to Christmas.

Stratford-on-Avon District Council has recently helped raise over £1,200 for a number of different charities - £170 for Age Concern, £211 for Children in Need, £350 for Macmillan Cancer Relief, £370 for World Vision, and £104 in last month's Poppy Appeal. The money for World Vision will purchase a mobile pharmacy serving 5000 people, two vulnerable child care kits and two immunisation packs.

"I am very proud that the spirit of Christmas very much exists in the staff at the Council.  At a time when people are often struggling to make ends meet to cover the financial cost of Christmas, staff are making a real difference to those less fortunate than themselves," said Paul Lankester, Chief Executive.

"It is very easy to get caught up in all the hype at Christmas time to buy this and that, so for staff to be able to raise over £1,000 to help others is a marvellous achievement and I'd like to publicly say thank you and well done to everyone."

The District Council staff's fundraising is not just restricted to Christmas time. Each month the Council holds a dress down day for staff, with a nominated charity benefiting from the money collected. This year £2,436 was raised for various concerns, including the NSPCC, Dogs for the Disabled and the Warwickshire Air Ambulance.