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Wealth investment firm’s charity gives talking papers their biggest ever grant
By Kevin Palmer
Jun 12, 2009, 01:18

Wealth investment firm’s charity gives talking papers their biggest ever grant

June 9, 2009

A Wilmslow charity that is celebrating its silver anniversary of helping blind and partially sighted people keep up with the news is to receive its biggest-ever donation.

Wilmslow Talking Newspaper uses volunteers who read items of interest from local newspapers that are recorded onto tape and sent by post to around 90 people in the town and neighbouring Handforth and Alderley Edge.

The charity, which was set up in May 1984, has successfully applied to St. James’s Place Foundation, the charitable arm of the St. James’s Place Wealth Management Group, for a grant.

It has been awarded £1,000 which will effectively cover the rent of its recording suite in the Friends Meeting House in Bourne Street, Wilmslow, for a year. The rent is the charity’s biggest annual financial outlay.

A cheque for £1,000 will be presented to the charity on Friday (June 12) by Rob Atherton, a representative of the St. James’s Place Wealth Management Group, who grew up in Handforth, attended Wilmslow County High School, and has clients in the area.

Trevor Jones, the charity’s fund-raising and publicity co-ordinator, said: “We are doubly delighted at receiving this cheque. It’s not only the biggest donation that we have had in our 25 years, but also the first from a financial institution.

“It will be a major help in us continuing to be a lifeline for blind and partially-sighted people by keeping them informed of what is happening in the world around them.”

Rob, who has himself seen the work done by the charity, helped with the application for the grant. “I’m pleased to have played a part in securing much-needed aid for this worthy cause which is a vital part of people’s lives,” he said.

Many representatives and staff of the St. James’s Place Wealth Management Group give to the Foundation, with the company, one of the UK’s leading wealth management organisations, matching contributions. The Foundation, which has funded hundreds of charities and projects over the years, raised £2.45m in 2008.

Tatton MP and Shadow Chancellor George Osborne is hoping to attend the cheque presentation - public duties permitting - having shown an interest in the charity’s work. He visited the recording suite last November.