Shropshire Star

Hope House ambassador Luke meets Telford's Tree of Light team

Telford's Tree of Light – which commemorates loved ones at Christmas – received a special visitor when Hope House ambassador Luke Millington paid the team a visit to lend his support.

Published
From left, Martin Brookes, Shirley Brookes, Rachel Lewis of Hope House, Nick Burn (President of Telford Centre Rotary Club), Luke Millington and Annice Dixon

Hope House is one of the charities chosen to benefit from the tree and Luke and Rachel Lewis, of Hope House, popped along to meet the Rotary team.

Luke, 21, from Telford, has an incurable muscle-wasting disease and has been attending the children's hospice near Oswestry for 10 years. He is spearheading the charity's Christmas and New Year appeal.

The pair saw Nick Burn, president of Telford Centre Rotary Club, and Rotarians from the Ironbridge club who were visiting the tree, which is in New Row in Telford shopping centre.

It gives people a way of remembering loved ones at Christmas, with the name displayed around the tree, which is organised by four Telford Rotary clubs – Ironbridge, Telford Centre, Wellington, and The Wrekin.

Typically almost 5,000 people are remembered and the lists are updated weekly.

Members of the public who remember loved ones are requested to donate a minimum of £5 per name to local charities.

Honoured

Rachel said: “Hope House is honoured to be a recipient of this year’s Telford Tree of Light donations. We are so grateful to the community for supporting the Tree of Light and for helping making a difference in the local area.”

Nick thanked Luke and Rachel for helping to promote this year’s campaign, and added: "The Rotary Telford Tree of Light receives exceptional help and support from its corporate sponsors. Their support enables us to pass on to the nominated charities all the contributions received from the public.”

Rotarian David Lovatt said: "So far this year the Tree of Light has raised £31,189 for the nominated charities. This amount will increase with the addition of Gift Aid by about £5,000.

"We hope to match or exceed last year’s total of £42,000 and with three weeks to go we are expecting to meet out target.

"Severn Hospice will be supported with half of the amount donated by the public. The remaining half will go to Telford Samaritans, Hope House, The Cavalier Centre, Maninplace and Climbing Out.

"There is still plenty of time for names of loved ones to be remembered. Names submitted by December 16 will be guaranteed to appear around the tree before Christmas."

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