Charity-conscious staff at a council office in Rowley Regis have raised money for the Multiple Sclerosis Society by organising a Christmas hamper prize draw for staff and visitors.

The £375 was raised at the Rowley Regis Local office with staff and family members backing the fundraising effort by providing prizes for the hamper draw. The money will be used by the MS Society to support local services in the West Midlands area. Councillor Lorraine Ashman, Rowley Regis town chair, said:

“The staff were pleased to have raised this money for the MS Society because they do some tremendous work in the area to help people with multiple sclerosis and their families.

“The staff were happy to support the MS Society which works with an estimated 110,000 people with MS in the UK and with about 5,000 people newly diagnosed each year.”

Prizes were presented to winners today yesterday by the Mayor of Sandwell, Councillor Dr Ann Jaron, Councillor Ashman and Councillor Maria Crompton.

Rowley Regis Local chose to raise money for the MS Society as staff member Frances Joyce had a close relative living with the condition for many years.

Frances' twin sister Marie passed away in December 2018 from a complication related to MS. Frances and her family felt more research needs to be done and wanted money raised to benefit people with MS locally.