75th anniversary fundraising update

What an exciting few months it's been! When we launched our 75th anniversary fundraising appeal back in June, we set ourselves a rather bold target: £75,000 to mark 75 years of supporting older people across Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin.

Every penny raised in aid of Age UK Shropshire Telford & Wrekin is helping us strengthen the vital services that so many older people rely on; services that ease loneliness, spark connection, and remind people they are valued members of our community.

And thanks to the energy, creativity, and downright bravery of our supporters (and a few thrill-seekers), we’ve already enjoyed an incredible range of fundraising adventures. Here’s a glimpse at what’s been happening:

Fabulous frocks and fundraising

The remarkable duo of Kim Gilmour and Julie Kaur turned on their event management skills in truly elegant style with their Posh Frocks Ladies Charity Dinner. Their hard work, and the generosity of guests, raised over £3,000.

Pedals, puff, and plenty of determination

Our 75km cycling challenge took riders around Shrewsbury and the surrounding areas and raised an impressive £2,218. A special shout-out goes to Cllr Bernie Bentick, Deputy Mayor of Shrewsbury, who hopped on his bike and pedalled his way to contributing £1,208 of the total. Not bad for a day’s cycling!

Jumping out of aeroplanes

Some people celebrate milestone birthdays by putting their feet up with tea and cake. Pam Windsor, volunteer at Greenacres Day Centre, prefers to celebrate them by jumping out of a plane! For her 80th birthday, Pam took on a tandem skydive, raising a spectacular £1,683. Meanwhile, Greenacres member Heather Barre went for something rather quieter, a sponsored silence. Her peaceful efforts raised £250, proving that silence really can be golden.

A song for Shropshire

Our musical marvels, The Acorn Singers, have gifted us something really special: a brand-new song titled ‘This Is My Shropshire’. Written and recorded especially for our 75th year, it’s a tribute to the beautiful county we serve and the people who make it home. The group have been performing it far and wide, including at the Telford Carnival and a festive concert at The Fallow Field in Hadley.

You can listen to their song on YouTube, it’s both moving and catchy!

Bingo, ballads and the best of community spirit

Over in Oswestry, The Highwayman pub hosted a lively Bingo Night, generating £348 and giving attendees a great excuse to shout ‘house!’ for a good cause.
Music lovers weren’t left out either; a heartfelt acoustic set by The Montfords featuring Jodie Welch brought in £147 at Withywood Dementia Respite Service.
Rain? No problem, it’s for a good cause. The older people at Kushdil Day Centre in Hadley proved that not even torrential rain could dampen their enthusiasm or dedication. Their 75-minute sponsored walk, completed in truly soggy conditions, was one of several creative events they’ve organised to celebrate our big anniversary.

Looking back, looking forward

At this year’s Annual General Meeting, held on Tuesday 11 November at The Shropshire Business Suite, Angela Goodman, Head of Income Generation, presented the wonderful video below, which showcases the highlights of our fundraising efforts so far. It was a proud moment, a reminder of how far we’ve come, and how much we can achieve when we all pull together.

Fundraising your way

Our supporters clearly love a challenge, and now we’ve made it even easier to get involved. We’ve added new ideas to our website for ways to get moving and raise money at the same time. Whether you want to walk, run, cycle, or swim, for 75 miles, minutes, or laps, however you move, every step counts. For those that prefer something more laid back then we’ve got plenty of fun, easy-to-organise ideas too.

And finally, a big thank you

To every staff member, volunteer, supporter, fundraiser, singer, cyclist, walker, bingo-caller, skydiver and silent meditator, thank you. Your enthusiasm is not just raising money; it’s raising spirits. The success of this campaign reflects your care, commitment, and creativity.
Let’s keep the momentum going. With your help, we’re not just marking 75 years, we’re building the future of support for older people in Shropshire and Telford & Wrekin.