The Congleton Town Mayor for 2024-25, Cllr Kay Wesley, has handed over the funds she raised to the three charities she chose for her mayoral year.
Cllr Wesley collected at civic events and organised fundraisers to accumulate almost £12,000 that was distributed to Ruby’s (£4000), myCWA (£7000) and Congleton Pride (£1961).
Cllr Wesley explained why she chose these charities: “The theme of my mayoral year was equality and inclusion, and all three of these organisations are dedicated to removing barriers from people so that they can participate and contribute fully, free from discrimination and harm. I was delighted to work with each of them through the year.”
With Congleton Pride, Cllr Wesley organised a special ‘Pride in Leadership’ event to bring together civic leaders and Prides from all over Cheshire East. It was a great success, and participants plan to make it an annual event.
Congleton Pride Chair Malcolm Pope said: “Cllr Wesley’s support for Congleton Pride has been unwavering ever since we started six years ago. We are very grateful to be a mayor’s charity and for all Kay does to support the LGBTQIA+ community. Many thanks for this generous donation that will help us continue to work to make Congleton a place where everyone feels safe, included and celebrated.”
The Ruby’s team worked with the mayor to organise a Winter Walk and Activity Day at Astbury Mere, which got families out of doors on a sunny winter’s day trying out all sorts of nature-based fun activities.
Alison Parr of Ruby’s thanked Cllr Wesley, saying: “We were honoured and privileged to be one of the mayor’s chosen charities of the year. This generous donation will help to fund the continuation of our much-needed peer support sessions for children with SEND and their families.”
Cllr Wesley also did a sponsored walk all around Congleton to raise money for myCWA, the charity that supports people in Cheshire affected by Domestic Abuse. CEO Saskia Lightburn-Ritche said: “My CWA is hugely grateful to Cllr Wesley and the people of Congleton for this generous donation. Every pound helps us keep our 24/7 helpline open and deliver life-changing support and recovery programmes for families affected by domestic abuse. The community’s backing is vital in ensuring no one in Cheshire has to face abuse alone.”
Cllr Wesley concluded: “Thank you so much to everyone who supported my events and fundraising activities during the mayoral year. It meant a lot to me to be able to support these worthwhile causes.”
