Charities receive bumper payout

CHEQUE mates . . . Former Mayor David Jones with (front, from left) Barry Cassidy (Diabetes UK Oldham), Irene Griffiths (RNLI), former Mayoress Jean Jones (board member of ACE Centre North) and other charity representatives

Oldham Council
IT was all smiles as David Jones ended his mayoral year with a massive charity boost.

He handed out cheques totalling £23,500 to the good causes he has supported with his Mayor’s Appeal.

ACE Centre North, which provides communication aids for disabled people, received £10,000 — and Mr Jones said there was more to come.

Diabetes UK was presented with £6,000 and the RNLI with £5,000. Ten other organisations each received £250.

The total from this year’s appeal is yet to be finalised but stands at about £30,000.

Mr Jones said: “I am really pleased, especially in the current economic climate. People have been very generous.

“Organisations have been very supportive when they have discovered more about some of the charities, especially about ACE Centre North. For example, the Moravian Church in Royton had a stall on Royton Market last week to raise money specifically for the Mayor’s Appeal to go to the ACE Centre.”