Businesses wear it red for Cure Leukaemia

A TRIO of Midlands businesses took part in a ‘Wear It Red Day’ and raised £400 for Cure Leukaemia in the process.

OGL Computer came up with the idea and fellow supporters of the charity, jewellery firm Rudell and bio-science business The Binding Site, joined in as staff wore a red piece of clothing and donated to the Birmingham-based charity.

OGL’s offices in Stourport and Kidderminster took part along with Rudell’s Harborne and Wolverhampton shops and employees at The Binding Site’s offices in Edgbaston.

The £400 raised will be leveraged to provide £4,000 worth of potentially life-saving drugs for leukaemia patients all over the Midlands region.

OGL Computer is not only fundraising but also helping directly with the research being done to fight the disease. The Worcestershire organisation will be creating a bespoke platform to enable the Centre for Clinical Haematology at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Birmingham, to collate samples from leukaemia patients undergoing clinical trials.

The Binding Site recently chose Cure Leukaemia as its charity partner and is currently holding a Cure Leukaemia week at their offices in Birmingham.

Rudell has been a steadfast supporter of Cure Leukaemia, regularly attending events, fundraising and donating beautiful items for auctions and raffles.

James McLaughlin, chief executive of Cure Leukaemia, said: “I’d like to thank all our supporters who took part in Wear It Red Day. It was great to have so many people joining in to raise money for Cure Leukaemia.”

Ibstock donates bricks to community project

A COMMUNITY project near Newcastle-under-Lyme is set to create a new communal garden area after winning a competition run by Ibstock Brick to celebrate the redevelopment of its Chesterton factory.

The UK’s largest brickmaker ran a competition to find a local cause in need of building materials and was impressed with social housing development Trinity Court in Chesterton, which will use the brick donation to help turn a run-down public shortcut into a communal garden area for tenants.

The residents, whose entry was submitted via the Chesterton Community Forum, are transforming an old drying area between two blocks into a garden that can be enjoyed by all who live there.

Ibstock managing director Wayne Sheppard said: “The winner was chosen because the donation of bricks will make a significant improvement to the lives of the residents of Trinity Court, both young and old.

“And, with the project only around the corner from the Chesterton factory, it could not be better placed for us to give back to the local community. The town has supported us throughout the redevelopment of our factory, so it is great to be able to give something back.”

 
Lemon Zest donates blankets to St Basils

REGIONAL events and production company Lemon Zest Events has supported Birmingham-based homeless charity St Basils with a donation of 60 winter blankets.

St Basils works with young people aged 16-25 who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, helping more than 5,000 young people per year across Birmingham, Solihull, Sandwell and North Worcestershire.

The charity helps prevent youth homelessness by providing support and advice, supported accommodation, a helpline, schools projects and a family mediation service.

The donation follows a series of outdoor cinema events organised by Lemon Zest Events for The Mailbox, where the blankets were used by visitors watching festive films throughout the weekends during the Christmas period.

Paul Needham, managing director at Lemon Zest Events, said: “We felt it important to reflect on those in need this year and the blankets provided a perfect opportunity to support the work of St Basils for the hundreds of homeless teenagers that are in need this Christmas and beyond.”

Lucy Hackett, head of fundraising for St Basils, said: “We are very grateful to Lemon Zest Events for thinking of St Basils and the vulnerable young people that we work with across the region at this special time of year.”