A local friendship group in Mid-Staffordshire is celebrating after raising nearly £3,000 for two very important charities. The Mid-Staffordshire Oddfellows raised the money over the last year to support the Midlands Air Ambulance and Macmillan Cancer Support. Members collected the funds through personal donations at social events, a festive Christmas fair, and the sale of pre-loved items.
Every year, the chair of the group selects a specific cause to benefit from their community fundraising efforts. Anne-Marie Wright, who served as last year's chair, explained why these particular organisations were chosen.
Anne-Marie Wright said: “Midlands Air Ambulance has become a regular focus of our fundraising efforts each year, and they deserve every penny and more for the brilliant and vital work they do. We decided to also back Macmillan Cancer Support this year as some of our members have loved ones going through cancer treatment, so know first-hand the importance of the work the charity does in helping both patients and their families through such a distressing time. I’m very proud to hand these funds over to both charities. Thank you to everyone who has contributed their time and money – you might just have saved someone’s life.”
The Midlands Air Ambulance received a cheque for £1,898.76 during a special event on April 8, 2026. Katey Taylor at Midlands Air Ambulance said: “We are incredibly grateful to Mid Staffs District of Oddfellows for their generous donation of £1,898.76 and their many years of continued support. Their commitment helps ensure our crews can be there for people across Staffordshire when they need us most.”
The group also presented a cheque for £1,051.13 to Macmillan Cancer Support during their annual meeting on March 18, 2026. John Harrison at Macmillan said: “We simply couldn’t help the growing number of people who need us, without the support and generosity of organisations like Mid Staffs Oddfellows. So, a heartfelt thank you to all those involved who donated their valuable time and money to raise over £1,000 for Macmillan Cancer Support. This money could help fund our specially trained nurses and support line advisers who answer calls to our free Support Line from people living with cancer every day. Macmillan receives no government funding and relies almost entirely on donations like these to help us transform cancer care, raising the standard for everyone, everywhere today and into the future.”
The Oddfellows group has 373 local members and hosts many affordable events in Stafford, Stoke-on-Trent, and Newcastle-under-Lyme. New people are always welcome to join their upcoming social meetings, including a lunch at Stoke College on May 5, 2026. There are also coffee mornings planned for May 12, 2026, in Stafford and June 10, 2026, in Bagnall. Anyone interested in joining or learning more about their activities can contact the branch secretary, Tina Bayley.
