2015 campaign: How Shropshire charities shared last year's £20,000 Cash For Your Community windfall

More than 100,000 tokens were collected and the £20,000 cash pot was distributed at a special ceremony hosted by Enterprise Flex E Rent.

The firm partnered the Shropshire Star in the scheme, which had organisations across the county busy cutting tokens from the newspaper.

Cottage Care Trust in Wellington collected the most and were rewarded with £2,460 – but there was plenty left for another 44 good causes.

Bryan Benham, of the trust, said: "We are overwhelmed."

Scroll down to see our full list of winners

The results of the first Cash For Your Community Scheme were announced at a presentation ceremony at the Shrewsbury headquarters of Enterprise Flex E Rent vehicle hire, formerly Burnt Tree.

More than 180 organisations had applied to take part in the scheme and the winners came from a shortlist of 50.

The groups selected each had to collect tokens printed in the Shropshire Star, and the dream fund was shared out according to how many tokens each group was able to collect.

A staggering total of 104,680 tokens were collected by the groups, who were able to enjoy a host of sun-bathed entertainment laid on at Enterprise Flex E Rent headquarters following the presentation.

The biggest winner was Cottage Care Trust, in Wellington, which provides day care services for people with disabilities and medical needs. The charity will use its £2,460 share of the fund to finance special activities for visitors to the centre.

The second biggest beneficiary was Radnor Valley Little Dragons day nursery, in Presteigne, which will use its £2,407 share to finance a gardening project.

The Harry Johnson Trust received £1,979 for its work supporting children with cancer, while Hope House Children's Hospices received £904.

Joan and Bryan Benham collected the cheque on behalf of the Cottage Care Trust, and they said they were overwhelmed to receive the money.

Bryan said: "It is absolutely incredible that among a lot of well thought of charities and groups that we have come out on top. That is a great surprise but it is also a tribute to the volunteers who managed to collect so many tokens which brought us out on top."

The trust looks after more than 160 people each week, providing activities and meals out of its Wellington base, and Joan said the money would make a huge difference to the service they can deliver.

Radnor Valley Little Dragons, which runs a parent and toddler group, and afterschool and holiday clubs, will be using the money they received to buy outdoor equipment – possibly even go-karts.

Shirley Hughes, chairman of the group, revealed she had only found out about the competition by chance while lambing at her farm.

She said: "I live on a farm and it was at lambing time. We brought a lamb in to the house to put her by the fire and my daughter went to put some paper in the box before we put the lamb in it.

"When I looked in the box I noticed the paper and saw the advert for Cash for you Community and said 'don't put that in there I need to look at it'."

Shirley said they were thrilled to receive the money, which would have taken them years to raise by themselves. She said: "It is unbelievable. this can make a real difference to a community like ours."

The Harry Johnson Trust was presented with a a cheque for £1,979. Sally and Stephen Johnson, who set up the charity in memory of their son Harry, who died last year, said they would use the money to help other sick children and their families.

Sally said: "We are overwhelmed. We did not expect to come in the top 10, so to be in the top three is amazing. We are only a newly-established charity and we cannot thank people enough for all their support."

Sally's aunt Ann Moogan played a huge part in rounding up the tokens, collecting a staggering 3,000. Both Sally and Stephen offered their thanks and said the money would help the charity in its quest to help families with "the little things", including vouchers for cinema visits and meals, along with special fleece pillows and blankets.

The pillows and blankets are donated to children who have lost their hair through chemotherapy, with the fabric being softer on their skin.

Sally said: "There are lots of big charities which do the big things really well and for us it is just about providing the little things which we know can really help.

"We buy vouchers and give them to the oncology team at Telford. They know if it is a child's birthday, if they are having a particularly rough time with treatment and they can just give them the vouchers to hopefully provide a bit of respite and a bit of normality.

"It is the little things we find make the biggest difference."

Hope House Children's Hospice received £904.08, which the group will use to provide specialist nursing care, as well as practical and emotional support to youngsters with terminal illnesses.

Vanessa Thomas, of Hope House, said they were delighted to receive the money.

She said: "It was amazing, we were very excited when we got through to the final list so to come today and receive this is great.

"We have almost £1,000, and for us to raise that we would have had to organise a whole event which takes a great deal of work. What we also thought was really nice was sometimes people cannot afford to give us the money they would like to but by collecting these tokens in the Shropshire Star they were able to support us. I know a lot of our elderly supporters were really delighted."

Danny Glynn, general manager of Enterprise Flex E Rent, which has 450 employees in the UK and 100 in Shropshire, said they had been delighted to hand over the money for worthwhile local groups and causes.

He said: "We are extremely pleased to be able to be part of this.

"I think as a company of our size it can be very easy just to donate to big national charities and groups but we are very mindful of that and look to ensure we do everything we can for the local groups. It is great to be able to make a difference to these groups which mean so much to their communities."

Mr Glynn also praised the humility of the winners, who he said deserved greater recognition for their work.

He said: "I think these guys, the time they all donate to their causes probably does not get the recognition it deserves and I think all the people I have met from these groups are just so humble, they deserve immense credit."

Will Henderson, Shropshire depot manager for Enterprise Flex E Rent, announced the winners and said they were thrilled to hand over the money.

He said: "It is just an amazing feeling. It is important to support your local community and this allows us to do that.

"When we first started talking with the Shropshire Star and as it developed it just linked in perfectly with the founding values of this business and what the business is all about."

More than 104,000 tokens were collected during the appeal, with the groups using a variety of novel ways to boost their numbers.

Some groups did door-to-door collections from their neighbours, while others set up collection points in convenience stores and petrol stations.

A team of volunteers led by Shropshire Star circulation manager Andy Maxwell spent 36 hours counting and verifying the tokens.

He said: "It was hard work indeed, and saw us burning the midnight oil, but when you see the difference it will make to the groups here today, you know it has all been worth the effort."

Shropshire Star editor Martin Wright said it was a privilege to be able to help organisations which did so much to make the county a better place.

"Cash For Your Community is all about giving a helping hand to people who selflessly give their time and energy to others for no reward other than to serve others," he said.

"It has been an education to see all the good work that goes on in our area, often unseen by the dedicated volunteers. It has also been heart-warming the way that communities have rallied round these groups and helped them to collect their tokens.

"I hope it will also make more people aware of the good work these groups do."

The winners:

Wellington Cottage Care Trust £2,460.62

Wellington Cottage Care received the biggest share of the dream fund, netting more than £2,600.

Business manager Vicky Brain said the money would help the charity continue to providing its day-care visitors with a range of free activities.

Radnor Valley Little Dragons £2,407.68

Radnor Valley Little Dragons provides children's day care in an isolated, low-income area of Mid Wales, and the money will be used to improve the garden areas, and launch a gardening club for children.

Chairman Shirley Hughes said: "Gardening and playing outdoors engages children by providing a dynamic environment to observe, discover, experiment, nurture and learn.

"The money will really help us to provide a flying start for the children in our care, bring children together from different backgrounds and encourage them to be part of a community group."

Harry Johnson Trust, £1,979.11

The Harry Johnson Trust was formed by Sally and Stephen Johnson, in memory of their son Harry who died at the age of seven in 2013 following a nine-month battle with a rare form of cancer.

The charity provides essential items for children with cancer during their stay in hospital, including water, shampoo, snacks and slippers. It also provides fleece blankets and pillowcases which are more comfortable for children who have had their heads shaved, and makes "memory bears" for the families of children who have died using their clothes or blankets.

Sally said the funding would allow the charity to support many children.

Hope House Children's Hospices £904.08

Hope House Children's Hospices provide specialist nursing care as well as practical and emotional support to youngsters with terminal illnesses.

Area fundraiser Lynsey Kilvert said: "A slice of the dream fund will enable us to continue provide the care and support that our children, young people and families so desperately need."

Severn Centre Trust £797.71

The Severn Centre in Highley is will put the money towards a £120,000 appeal to refurbish its outdoor swimming pool.

The Friendly Transport Service £715.86

This charity helps people who struggle to get around because of a lack of transport. The money will be used to help it provide a "good neighbour" service, primarily be aimed at older people in rural area.

Lingen Davies Cancer Fund £670.87

This charity will put its slice of the cash towards a £750,000 appeal to buy a new Linear Accelerator machine, which delivers radiotherapy treatment required by 50 per cent of cancer patients.

Fundraising officer Liz Kyle said: "Demand for radiotherapy treatment in Shropshire is growing by five per cent per year, and patients require daily visits over a number of days or weeks."

Telford Hornets RFC £660.15

The club will use the money for much-needed repairs to the club building and improvement to the pitches. Chairman Rob McGuire said the club worked closely with schools in disadvantaged areas and different community groups of mixed abilities.

Breathe Easy, Telford and District £646.03

This self-help group caters for people with lung disease. Its slice of the fund will go towards the £7,000 needed to purchase a new portable blood gas machine.

Hilbrae Rescue Kennels £580.42

Hilbrae has been rescuing and rehousing stray dogs for 25 years, and will use the money towards the upkeep of its kennels near Telford.

1st Shrewsbury Scouts and Cubs £517.41

The group will use the money towards an appeal to build a new base.

The Perry Riding for the Disabled £500.84

The group organises equestrian activities for disabled adults and children, and is hoping to build an indoor arena with outdoor carriage track. The money will allow it to hold a launch party to raise funds.

Autism West Midlands £467.06

The charity will use the money to provide support for brothers and sisters of autistic children.

Broseley with Benthall PCC £456.51

The money will be used to help up a Broseley visitor centre at All Saints' Church.

Shropshire Royal Agricultural Benevolent Institution £444

The charity provides support for farm workers in need of help. It will enable it to organise more fundraising events.

Shropshire Rural Community Council £399.99

The charity will use the money to fund its work tackling the challenges of living in a rural community.

Shrewsbury Juniors FC £390.57

The club will use the money for its new football groups for the disabled and a "walking football" session for older players.

East Shropshire Talking Newspaper £380.50

The service needs the funds for a new memory sticks and copying equipment to keep the blind up to date with the news.

Shrewsbury & Newport Canals Trust £366.37

The trust wants to restore two historic warehouses at Wappenshall Wharf near Apley, which will be turned into a visitor attraction celebrating Thomas Telford's life. The money will be used to generate match-funding.

Cambrian Heritage Railways £364.75

The group will use the money to restore the down platform and reinstatement of track through the former Oswestry station, which is now used as a visitor attraction celebrating the town's railway history.

North Shrewsbury Friendly Neighbours £351.43

The cash will help the group's team of 45 volunteers provide support to elderly and vulnerable people such as transport to appointments, running errands and providing befriending services.

Beanstalk Shropshire £266.82

The organisation will use the money to help youngsters who are struggling with reading at school.

Climbing Out £262.82

Climbing Out organises five-day outdoor activity programmes for people aged 16-30 who have suffered life-changing illnesses or injuries, ranging from cancer to brain injuries.

Horsehay Bowls Club £256.27

The money is needed for improvement to the club's base, including new flower beds, repointing a stone wall, and the replacement of rotten window frames.

Exotic Zoo £243.60

This community enterprise has built a giant glass dome and sensory garden to run animal-assisted therapy sessions. It will use the money for sensory items, plants and trees.

Brownlow Community Centre £238.57

The money will go towards a new zoned heating system and replacement boiler.

Lyneal-Cum-Colemere WI £220.05

The money will go towards a £2,500 appeal for a defibrillator at Colemere Country Park.

Empathy for Special Children £217.78

The charity will use the money for its projects working with autistic children.

Confide Counselling Service £185.95

The organisation provides specialist counselling for people aged 16 plus who are suffering from mild to moderate mental health problems like anxiety and depression.

Director Helen Scholes said: "It has been very difficult for us to attract core funding for our work since the economic downturn. "A slice of the dream fund will help make up the difference between the subsidised fees that we charge and our actual costs."

Telford & Horsehay Steam Trust £162.40

The trust operates Telford Steam Railway, which recently launched a service to Lawley Village. The money will go towards preparatory works to build a new coach shed.

Christchurch Pre-school and Nursery £137.55

The money will be used for improvements to an outdoor play area and new toys for children who use the nursery.

Tadlop £128.78

The operatic group will use the money for a new public address system with radio microphones, which will help it take its shows outside the normal theatre setting.

Telford Sea Cadets £117.74

This is the only sea-cadet group in Shropshire. The money will be used to reduce the costs of its special courses.

Oakengates Events £116.77

The Oakengates Carnival attracts thousands of people every year.

"The dream is to make it better," said chairman Ian Barton. "The funding will make a huge difference."

Combat Stress £114.65

The money will be used to support veterans and their families in Shropshire who are suffering with their mental health.

Cressage Village Hall £108.81

The money will go towards urgent repairs and upgrades to the building, including repairs to the roof and a new kitchen, which chairman Daphne Skinner said could be the difference between remaining open or closing.

Church Stretton Community First Responders £90.62

These volunteers support the regular ambulance service, and the money will go towards a 4x4 vehicle enabling them to access hard-to-access areas such as the hills.

Marks Pit Stop £83.81

The money will be used to help with running costs of the project, which for the past 10 years has been running a help centre for people who need food, clothing or friendship.

Senior's Gym Club £83.31

The club runs gym classes for the over 55s at locations across Telford & Wrekin borough, and will use the money to subsidise the sessions so it can offer more classes.

Market Drayton Cricket Club £83.31

The money will go towards a viewing area for families and young children to watch junior training and local cricket matches, as well as offering disabled access.

Sapphire Group £83.31

The group, which provides support for women in Shropshire who self harm, will use the money to promote the help that is on offer.

The Furniture Scheme £83.31

This group runs the Rockspring Community Centre in Ludlow, and will use the cash for new fitness.

The Marches School £83.31

The school in Oswestry will use the money for its new nature project, which includes raised beds, a shed, plants and walkways.

Telford Mind £83.31

The charity will use the money to help run an arts programme for people with mental health problems from its base in Sutton Hill.

Home star and Wrekin £83.31

The charity provides support for families in the Telford area who have fallen on difficult times. The funds will be used for a project aimed at building self-confidence of women who have had to deal with difficult issues.

• Visit our partners Enterprise Flex-E-Rent's website here at www.flexerent.co.uk