An exciting new partnership between Walsall Healthcare’s Well Wishers charity and the Saddlers Shopping Centre is being launched tomorrow, with a year of fundraising support in the bag.
Well Wishers raises money for items above and beyond what the NHS can provide and has benefitted from the centre’s generosity previously, with Easter egg donations for young patients.
This new partnership will see a year-long focus on one of the charity’s appeals – and local shoppers will have the chance to choose which service receives the cash raised.
Georgie Westley, Fundraising Manager at Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust, said: “We are really pleased to be joining forces with the Saddlers Shopping Centre in this way and believe that together we can make a real difference to the patients who use our services both in the Manor Hospital and out in the community.
“One of our most recent success stories has been to raise money for a new sensory room at the Child Development Centre in Shelfield and we’re asking shoppers and local families to tell us where they’d like us to focus our efforts over the next 12 months. We’ll be having regular stands in the centre and joining in with events and look forward to working with its staff. Please come and visit us on Friday 24 August to choose where you think the funds should go!”
Centre manager Melvin Glasby said: “We couldn’t be more excited about teaming up with Well Wishers. We’re in the heart of Walsall and it means so much to us to be able to work in partnership to make an impact on the lives of our customers who either use local healthcare services themselves or have family and friends who do.
“Community involvement is extremely important to us and we think this partnership demonstrates that commitment.”
The partnership will be launched this Friday 24 August at the centre’s Surf’s Up Beach Party and Dino Hunt event and Well Wishers will be in the centre from 12 noon.
Visitors can enjoy free giveaways, face painting fun, party tunes and the chance to ride a surf board simulator. Dinosaur fans are also in for a treat with a day full of dino mania. A fossil table full of fun facts and fossils to hold will be a main feature as well as the chance to make and take your own dino explorer crafts. There’s the chance to meet a real baby dinosaur and a dino-themed treasure hunt involving the centre’s retailers.