Community champions grab ten grand giveaway

TEN Teesside community champions have received a share of £10,000 in a presentation held at Middlesbrough FC’s Riverside Stadium.
Middlesbrough and Teesside Philanthropic Foundation’s £10,000 Goalden Giveaway saw the public take part in a vote on the Boro website to decide which local causes got the biggest share of the charity cash.
And the charity’s business patrons gathered at the Boro ground to hand out cheques of between £500 and £2,500 to a range of Teesside community groups.
The Foundation, which has raised more than £500,000 purely for local causes over the past two-and-a-half years, exists to make Teesside a better place to live, work and do business.
Chairman Andy Preston said: “What makes this charitable movement unique is that it is all about generous companies and individuals helping organisations that need their financial support – and every last penny stays here on Teesside.
“Whilst some of our funds are raised via a variety of events, we couldn’t exist without the incredible generosity of our patrons, whose willingness to give and do good is a constant reminder of what a special place Teesside is.”
Topping the online poll with almost 40% of the votes to receive £2,500 was Tees Valley Wheelchair Sports Club, who also enjoyed a visit from Boro stars Mustapha Carayol and Lukas Jutkiewicz to their wheelchair basketball centre.
Coaches Lee Fawcett and Phil Bramley received the Wheelchair Sports Club’s cheque from Mark Ellis, chief operating officer of the Foundation’s patrons Middlesbrough FC.
MAIN (Taking Autism Personally) were also big winners of the Goalden Giveaway, with Kelly Pounder and Amreen Rafiq attending the event to receive £1,500 from Andy Bott of Foundation patrons Glanbia Nutritionals.
Andy’s Glanbia colleague Mark Blake was on hand to present a cheque for £750 to Paddy Cronesberry and Barry Thomas of Middlesbrough Disabled Supporters Association.
Also receiving a share of the cash were Tees Wheelyboats Club, with representatives John Reece and Allan Kallagher receiving a £1,000 cheque from Fiona Gibbon of patrons The Endeavour Partnership LLP.
Emily Bentley of patrons Evolution Business and Tax Advisors handed over another cheque for £1,000 to the Stockton, Middlesbrough and Hartlepool branches of the Sea Cadets, who were represented by John Reilly and Claire Paczko.
Other presentations were:

• Freebrough Academy – £750 presented by Rich Bendelow of Foundation patrons Visualsoft to Kelly Britton and Louise Allanson.
• Redcar Development Trust – £500 presented to Frankie Wales by Nigel Willis of patrons First Choice Labels.
• The Unicorn Centre Riding for the Disabled – £500 presented by Janet Jones of patrons SABIC to Claire Pitt.
• South Cleveland Heart Fund – £500 presented to Dr Adrian Davies by John McCullagh, on behalf of the McCullagh family.

Middlesbrough District Scouts were unable to attend the event but are due to receive £1,000 through the Goalden Giveaway.