Organisations happy to win a share of Cash for Charities

Voting tokens were included in the East Anglian Daily Times and Ipswich Star editions every day for four weeks at the end of 2022.

The charities that won a share of the prize include: Footsteps walking with you, GoStart Community Transport, Jetty Lane CIO, Winstons Wheels Charity, and The Broomhill Pool Trust.

One of the charities, Jetty Lane CIO received £1,138.29 which will go towards building a new ‘playscape’ for children with special educational needs or disabilities.

Woodbridge charity Jetty Lane CIO is looking to build a new play area with Cash for Charity funds (Image: Charlotte Bond)

The charity’s trustee, Cordelia Richman, said: “We're extremely happy and we feel very fortunate that so many EADT readers have supported our charity.

“We're putting the money to building a new playscape for our site to engage children into more creative play.”

Mrs Richman said that the charity set its goal to raise £100,000 and the money received from the initiative is a very good “kick start” for the fundraising.

She added: “Winning a share at the Cash for Charities is really important for us.

Jetty Lane needs to raise £100,000 for the playscape (Image: Charlotte Bond)

“It is not only about the money. Winning also means that we can use the initiative’s logo and show others that we have been backed by a bigger organisation.”

The Broomhill Pool Trust which has been campaigning to restore the Grade II pool in Sherrington Road for over two decades has won a share of £1,953.64.

Mark Ling, the chairman at the Broomhill Pool Trust, said: “We are absolutely delighted with our Cash for Charities donation.

The team of the Broomhill Pool Trust which has been campaigning to restore the pool for over two decades (Image: Charlotte Bond)

“We are so very grateful to Ipswich Star and especially to the local public who have demonstrated once again that even 20 years on, they still back Broomhill Pool and the trust's tireless campaign to save it.

“Broomhill Pool would have been restored and re-opened by now, had it not been for Covid, and the subsequent lockdowns and building and utility inflation.

“Fusion Lifestyle had to mothball its 140 leisure facilities and pools, and furlough 3,000 staff. Their business and income were knocked for six.

“However, Fusion, Ipswich Borough Council, NLHF and Broomhill Pool Trust have continued to work in partnership, and to explore all avenues to bridge the gap.

“IBC and our two MPs have recently applied for £2.8m Levelling Up Funding with the outcome due in January.

“After so great an effort we remain hopeful that the Levelling Up ‘Gods’ will shine on Broomhill Pool, putting Ipswich on the map for all the right reasons!”

A Sudbury-based charity, GoStart Community Transport, which provides transport services for vulnerable and isolated people, received £1,349.32.

Peter Finch, from GoStart Community Transport (Image: Charlotte Bond)

The organisation relies on 22 volunteer drivers who help people get out to medical appointments, the shops and other trips that may not be easily accessible.

Peter Finch from GoStart Community Transport said: “We're very pleased to be one of the 10 finalists in the competition.

“We’re grateful to those who voted for us.

“All of our drivers are volunteers, so we are very heavily dependent on external finances.”

GoStart Community Transport plans to use the money towards replacing their five diesel vehicles with electric ones.

Winston’s Wheels, a charity that was launched as a legacy to beloved bull terrier Winston and so far has helped more than 400 dogs, received £994.40.

Winston's Wheels is one of the 10 charities vying for your last tokens in Cash for Charity (Image: Charlotte Bond)

The founder of the charity, Rachel Wettner, said that half of the money has been already spent on a brand-new wheelchair for dogs with mobility issues or illnesses.

Miss Wettner added: “We very much appreciate the prize we won.

Rachel Wettner, the founder of Winston's Wheels (Image: Charlotte Bond)

“For our charity, literally every penny counts. The money will help us buy two wheelchairs which will support lots of dogs.

“Winning the prize means so much to our charity.”

Winston's Wheels helps dogs of all sizes by buying wheelchairs and sending to owners in need (Image: Charlotte Bond)

The £16,000 cash is being provided by the charitable arm of Newsquest Media Group’s parent company, the Gannett Foundation.

This year the foundation will donate £128,000 to charities across the country.