Two Halton charities are thrilled to receive a share of a tremendous £18,799.74 raised during the former Mayor of Halton’s time in office, despite the challenges of COVID-19.

The Let’s Go Stroke Club and Nightstop Communities North West, the chosen charities of Margaret Horabin, Halton’s Mayor 2019-21, each received half of the grand total to help with their work in the community.

Teresa Cook, Chair of the Let’s Go Stroke Club, said: “Our sincere thanks to Mayor Margaret Horabin for the wonderful amount raised for our club. The monies raised will be an enormous help towards the cost of promoting our club, also activities such as day trips, craft supplies, and entertainment.

“The club gives stroke victims an opportunity to forget their problems for a few hours, meet other members and have fun. The club also enables carers and family members to have some respite time, which is important for them.”

Terri Kearney, CEO of Nightstop Communities Northwest, says: “NCNW is an award-winning organisation that provides emergency accommodation and a comprehensive suite of mental health services within Halton and the Liverpool City Region, and Warrington. We have recently supported Halton Borough Council in the Government’s ‘Everyone in’ initiative to make sure that all homeless people had a safe place to be during this global pandemic, while also supporting their mental health.

During the pandemic we were awarded the ‘Best Homelessness and Wellbeing Support Service 2021’ for the North West.

“We are honoured and delighted to have been chosen by Cllr Margaret Horabin as one of her chosen organisations through her term as the Mayor of Halton, and cannot thank her enough for her hard work and commitment to ourselves and the Let’s Go Stroke Club through such testing and challenging times which were unprecedented. Thank you also to the committee who worked tirelessly with Margaret to see that both organisations receive fantastic donations to help us continue the amazing work in the community of Halton.”

The former Mayor would like to thank everyone involved for their support and generosity. Said Margaret: “During this awful time of Covid there have been many wonderful people volunteering and giving their time and money to help others. From our NHS and front line workers to our fantastic local groups and, of course, our amazing Haltonians, all of whom gave precious time and resources to support our efforts.

“It was during my time as Mayor of Halton that the Mayor’s Fundraising Group, Nightstop Communities Northwest and The Let’s Go Stroke Club made a huge effort to help raise funds for both organisations.  There have been tremendous challenges though – such as the cancelling of some fundraising dinners, Easter and Christmas Bingo, the Vintage Rally and Town Hall Open Day – so we really did have to dig deep and just move forward.

“Yet, all the way through this, the two organisations and the Fundraising Group, along with generous individuals, brought their passion to the fore and managed to raise such an incredible amount.

It’s a credit to them all, and to all those who donated items to our fundraising cause.

“It has been an extremely challenging time for all charities, I know, but I am pleased to have been a part of this particular effort and I wish the new Mayor of Halton, Cllr Christopher Rowe, much success in his efforts to do the same.

“Lastly I have to say a big thank you to Joe, the Mayoral Attendant, for his support and to my wonderful friends and family for their contributions. A final thank you goes out to Connie for making me smile!”

 

 

Photo, left to right: Teresa Cook, Let’s Go Stroke Club Chair;  Margaret Horabin; Terri Kearney, CEO Nightstop Communities Northwest; Sandra Byrne and Rose Cook, both Let’s Go Stroke Club.