Good Causes

Two Spelthorne residents have been given awards for giving more than 175 blood donations between them.

Susan Burgess, of Lammas Road, Staines, and Linda Bishop, of Queens Walk, Ashford, were given a crystal decanter for more than 100 donations and a a crystal plate for more than 75 respectively at a National Blood Service ceremony.

Ashford Rotary Club have sent a £500 shelterbox to Haiti due to the earthquake.

The box gives warmth and shelter to people in need, but the group raised a further £8,500 last year for local charities.

The group wish to thank all the people and organisations that donated.

Volunteers who care for the elderly and disabled are looking for people to care for due to a decline in numbers over the past six months.

Ashford Helping Hands said that a few of their clients have died recently, so they have volunteers who don't have anyone to care for.

An education charity for children who have been expelled is hosting an open day on Wednesday January 13.

The Surrey Care Trust will be hosting the day at STEPS Staines Learning Centre, based in the Thameside Arts building, in Wyatt Road.

The school is for 15-16-year-olds who have struggled to fit into school, and the institution tries to help them out, encourage them to behave better, and gives them qualifications for when they finish.

The event will start at 11am and finish at 2pm.

Courses designed to teach people sign language are coming to Staines and Ashford in the New Year.

Oxfordshire based company Signs4Life are in the process of hiring deaf people to begin in-house training to schools, businesses, and shops, as they feel there are not enough people in the area who know the language.

The six week courses are designed to get people more aware about deaf and disabled people, and the company will be contacting schools in the borough to organise sign language in the curriculum.

Founder Fozia Parveen said: "You never know when you will come into contact with a customer, colleague, or member of the public who is deaf or disabled."

Young children at an Ashford primary school are preparing to send shoe boxes filled with goods around the world.

The pupils of Spelthorne Infant and Nursery School, in Chertsey Road, have collected nearly 70 boxes containing toys, books, sweets, clothing, and hygiene items and will be sending them to children living in Africa, central Asia, and eastern Europe.

The eighth Ashford Scout group will be selling Christmas trees to raise money for themselves on Sunday 13.

They will have a range of different trees, which can be picked up from their hut in Convent Road from 10am.

Call Louise Sears on 0791 330 8071 for more information.

A drunken bet the night before led to a Freemason from Ashford donning shorts and plunging into freezing cold water for charity.

Simon Hodkins, 37, of London Road, stood in the sea at Bournemouth on Sunday November 22 with his 35-year-old friend Jed , from Windsor and raised, £350 for Slough Homeless Our Concern for standing in the cold water during heavy winds for 15 minutes.

Fifty fruit trees have been placed in two locations in Spelthorne to try and get residents interested in nature.

Denise Turner-Stewart, Surrey County Councillor for Staines South and Ashford West, had 25 trees planted in Edinburgh Drive, Staines on Sunday (22) and 25 in Kingston Crescent, Ashford on Thursday November 19.

A Christmas tree festival is taking place at St Matthews Church on Saturday 28.

The 11th annual festival, which will start at 10am but go on until December 6, will feature 45 trees displayed by various shops and organisations.

The event, in Chuch Road, will be opened by pupils from Echelford School and in the evening the Mayor of Spelthorne Caroline Spencer will attend a concert by the Spelthorne Young Voices at 7pm.

Tickets are £8 which can be booked by ringing Alice Bennett on 01784 259718