Press and bankers boost charities

Nov 24 2009 by Jane Tyler, Birmingham Mail

By Jane Tyler

TWO local charities have been given a massive boost thanks to journalists and bankers.

The Birmingham Mail Charity Trust and East Midlands Air Ambulance will each receive a cheque for £840.

The donations follow this year’s Birmingham Press Club ball at the Macdonald Burlington Hotel which was attended by hundreds of journalists and people associated with the media.

A raffle raised £840 and then Barclays Bank, one of the ball’s sponsors, matched this – giving a total of £1,680 which was split between the two charities.

The theme of the ball, sponsored by East Midlands Airport, was elegance and glamour with the local media world donning their gladrags for the glitzy occasion.

Former Birmingham Mail editor Steve Dyson said he was delighted the Press Club had picked the newspaper’s charity.

“What a fabulous gesture from the Press Club and Barclays as well, matching the amount,” he said.

“The money will go a long way amongst the many local community groups the Mail Charity Trust supports.”

The Birmingham Mail Charity Trust hands out grants every year to local community groups.