Hopes for aid group to help Telford's needy

Tracey Brown said she had been 'blown away' by the Brookside community's support for sisters Danielle and Sophie Jones, who both suffer from cystic fibrosis.

And now she is hoping to set up a committee dedicated to helping those with illnesses or in need of support in the Brookside area.

More than 200 people turned out to the fun day at Brookside Community Centre, in Telford, on Saturday and a further 60 went to a ladies' night in the evening.

The day raised more than £400 for Danielle, 15, and Sophie, 12, to go on a family holiday.

Miss Brown, who has been putting on events for the past five years in Brookside and has collected more than £1,500 for the Dreams Come True charity for terminally ill children, said she wanted to use the success of Saturday's events as a springboard to help others.

She said: "It has just pushed me forward to help others.

"We are going on to bigger and better things, we want to set up a community committee. I know it is well within the hearts of local people.

"We want to have something where we can work together and be there if someone needs help."

Miss Brown said she was delighted with how the events on Saturday had gone.

She said: "They are close friends and I have known the family for a few years.

"The day was packed, we had people who have volunteered for charity events in the past and we reached our fundraising target by noon.

"It has absolutely blown me away, it is brilliant – the sun was shining too."

The event aimed to raise £400 to pay for the girls and their family to go away on a holiday to have a break.

"Any more we collect is a bonus," Miss Brown added.

"It went really well, a real success."

Miss Brown said that it had taken her four weeks to organise the community fun day, which featured a bouncy castle, a fire engine, stalls and a tombola.

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