20th January 2017

Three charities that support people and communities in Shropshire have received a welcome boost, thanks to a firm of financial advisers and a national building society.

Shropshire & Staffordshire Blood Bikes receive their cheque from Steve Graves and Rob Henn, Directors at Robert Nicholas. Present from Blood Bikes are Lynne Stones and Alan Fowles, as well as their bike, called Millie Bea! Two other charities benefitted as well.

Shropshire & Staffordshire Blood Bikes receive their cheque. Pictured (left to right) are Steve Graves, Director at Robert Nicholas, Lynne Stones and Alan Fowles, from the charity, and Rob Henn, Director at Robert Nicholas. The bike is called Millie Bea!

Severn Hospice, the Shropshire and Staffordshire Blood Bike volunteers and Newport Cottage Care Centre have received donations totalling £600 from the Yorkshire Building Society and Newport based Robert Nicholas Financial Advisers, which operates an agency for the society at its high street offices.

The money was raised through the building society’s charitable foundation and its Small Change, Big Difference campaign.

The campaign allows customers to donate the annual pence of interest from their savings or mortgage accounts which are pooled. The average donation is less than 50p per year and the maximum is just 99p.

Customers, colleagues and members of the public were asked to recommend three local charities to receive a £100 donation from the foundation which, for Newport, was then match funded by Robert Nicholas Financial Advisers to double the donation.

Robert Nicholas Director Stephen Graves said they had been delighted to support three such worthy charities.

“Each organisation does great work supporting those people who live in our community. We are very pleased that our customers could donate their small change to make a difference to these charities.

“It is such a positive initiative that we, and our customers, were very proud to be part of.”

Severn Hospice provides care and support for people living with an incurable illness. Newport Cottage Care runs a day centre for older people and the blood bike volunteers make emergency deliveries of blood products to hospitals in the area.