Business leaders help with £6k boost for Acorns appeal

Guests at the Black Country Chamber Awards were asked to chip in to help support the appeal which aims to raise £2m to keep the hospice open.

Nearly half a million pounds has been raised so far thanks to a phenomenal effort from fundraisers, which has been enough to lift the immediate threat of closure and allow the hospice to plan for next year.

More money is still needed to ensure the permanent survival of the Walstead Road centre.

The money amount raised was a combination of donations from guests on the evening and the generosity of chamber members, MET Recruitment, charity sponsor on the evening, who donated £1,000, and Plumbing World, which matched the amount raised on the evening.

Black Country Chamber president, Julie Cunningham, along with Nella Share and Robin Tong from MET Recruitment, and Ruth Serrell and Emma Templeton from Plumbing World, handed over a cheque this week for almost £6000 towards the Save Acorns Black Country Children’s Hospice Appeal.

Ms Cunningham said, “As soon as I heard about the appeal to save Acorns in Walsall, I knew we had to help, our recent business awards gave us a great opportunity to ask Black Country businesses to dig deep and help this amazing hospice.”

Nella Share from MET Recruitment said: “When the opportunity arose to become the charity sponsor for the awards it felt like the right sponsorship for us as it’s so closely aligned with our ethos.

“Learning that Acorns Children’s Hospice was the chosen charity for the event was amazing for us, we couldn’t have wished to support a better more worthy local cause.”

Ruth Serrell, a director of Rowley Regis-based Plumbing World said: “We chose to match the amount raised on the evening as we feel it is an incredibly good cause. I have worked in the hospice sector and they rely so heavily on the goodwill of the community and their fundraising initiatives.”