Latest news with #AccessinDudley
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Dudley's unsung heroes celebrated at Mayor's ball and civic awards
DUDLEY'S unsung heroes from the world of sport, business, environment, arts, community, and education were celebrated at a charity ball. The Mayor's ball and civic awards 2025 took place in front of more than 200 people at the Copthorne Hotel in Brierley Hill on Friday night. The evening, sponsored by Jewson and Brsk, raised thousands of pounds for three charities – Access in Dudley, Diabetes UK and Friends of Dudley Performing Arts. But it was also an opportunity to celebrate the winners of the annual civic awards, split into seven categories. These included the YOU West Midlands Youth Award, set up to recognise young people in the borough in honour of Ben Corfield, which was presented to Finley Stevens. Ben was an active volunteer in the community until tragically losing his life in 2022, aged just 19. Finley has battled back from a rare condition which put him in hospital and intensive care to raise more than £2,500 for the people who helped look after him and his family while he was in there. The Flower Cottage won the Thomas Attwood Award for Education for its innovative approach to pre-school care, putting on personalised Spanish lessons, visits to care homes and much more. The Duncan Edwards Award for Sport went to Dudley Council's Bikeability team, which teaches people of all ages across the borough but particularly children in schools to learn how to cycle. Unsung community lynchpin Dave Brownhill was the winner of the Frank Foley Award for Community Spirit. He has played a leading role behind the scenes in the establishment of both Black Country Radio and the Black Country Festival. Councillor Hilary Bills, the Mayor of Dudley, said that it was an absolute privilege to meet the winners and runners-up on the night and find out more about what they do.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Six local organisations honoured by the King at glittering ceremony
SIX community organisations have been recognised by His Majesty, the King for their contribution to the Dudley borough. The King's Award for Voluntary Service is the highest award given to local volunteering groups in the UK, equivalent to an MBE, and is awarded for life. Of the 19 organisations receiving the award across the West Midlands, more than one third were from Dudley. Halesowen in Bloom, Access in Dudley and Friends of Saltwells Nature Reserve all received awards, along with We Love Carers, Black Country Mental Health and The Black Country Blokes CIC. Six community organisations have been recognised by His Majesty, the King for their contribution to the Dudley borough (Image: Friends of Saltwells Nature Reserve) The awards were presented by the Lord-Lieutenant for the West Midlands, Derrick Anderson CBE, at the International Convention Centre (ICC) in Birmingham on Sunday, April 6. Councillor Hilary Bills attended the event and became the first Mayor in the West Midlands to collect an award herself, as she accepted on behalf of Halesowen in Bloom. She said: 'I would like to send my warmest congratulations to all six organisations on receiving such a prestigious accolade from His Majesty the King. 'To have six of the 19 organisations recognised across the whole West Midlands come from our borough is a real testament to the work being done by volunteers here. 'It is a fitting tribute to their dedication and efforts in helping local people.' Chair of Friends of Saltwells Nature Reserve, Les Drinkwater, spoke of his delight at the group picking up their award. He said: "We were enormously proud to receive the Award, on behalf of all the volunteers that help to maintain Saltwells National Nature Reserve as the special gem it is in the heart of the community in Dudley borough. "It is an honour for us to play our part in conserving this site of national importance for future generations, but also to welcome in as wide a range of people as possible to enjoy this amazing place, learn a little more about how special it is and benefit from spending time in nature, right on their doorstep. "To be recognised with such a prestigious award is fantastic and I couldn't be more proud."
Yahoo
06-02-2025
- General
- Yahoo
Tributes paid to "fearsome" Dudley charity campaigner
PEOPLE across the borough have been mourning the loss of the figurehead of a popular Dudley charity that champions disability rights. Tina Boothroyd, chairperson of Access in Dudley, died in hospital on January 31 - the charity has confirmed. For more than 20 years, Tina - who was a founding member of the charity – had campaigned tirelessly on behalf of people with disabilities to help make their lives better. Taking to Facebook to announce the sad news, a spokesperson for Access in Dudley said Tina was the 'beating heart' of the charity and they added: 'She worked tirelessly to help disabled people in Dudley over many years since AID was setup in 2004. It was her passion and her life's work. 'She was a true friend and fought your corner to the last, even in hospital she was always thinking of others.' Access in Dudley was awarded the King's Award for Voluntary Service, the MBE for voluntary groups, just a few weeks ago in November 2024 in recognition of the importance of its work in campaigning to help people with disabilities to access buildings, transport and services across the Dudley borough and beyond. This came a year after Tina herself was awarded the diversity in the community award at the 2023 Dudley Borough Community Awards. The Mayor of Dudley, Councillor Hilary Bills, who is raising money for Access in Dudley throughout her mayoral year, paid tribute to gutsy charity champion Tina, describing her as a 'formidable fighter for people with a disability'. She said: 'Her knowledge and leadership will be sadly missed by Access in Dudley. It is up to us all to carry on Tina's passion and to maintain Access in Dudley's work.' Former Dudley mayor and councillor Steve Waltho, a patron of the charity, said he was 'devastated' to hear of the loss of Tina, who lived in Halesowen with her husband. He described her as one of his 'charity heroes' and said: 'There was something about Tina. She was such a leader. 'She had multiple disabilities of her own that she had to cope with. She was an absolute inspiration to so many people.' He said many people didn't know she had gone into hospital in December with a heart issue and that news of her death had left friends and colleagues at Access in Dudley in total 'devastation'. Many people across the borough have paid tribute to Tina, who was in her early 60s, and who had been looking forward to officially receiving the prestigious King's Award on behalf of Access in Dudley at a ceremony scheduled for April this year. Former leader of Dudley Council, Anne Millward, described her as a 'legend' – while Dudley Labour councillor Cathryn Bayton said she was a 'fearsome campaigner'. Fellow charity champion Rachael Gardener, founder of the Stourbridge based We Love Carers charity, said she was very sorry to hear the sad news about Tina and added: 'She stalwartly fought for the rights of our disabled within Dudley.'
