Charity awards night celebrate community heroes

Soroptimist International of Ashton-under-Lyne has celebrated a successful evening of charity support, bringing together six local organisations dedicated to helping vulnerable people across Tameside.

The club hosted its annual Distribution of Charities event, inviting groups whose work reflects its focus on supporting women and children. Each organisation received a certificate and a £200 donation, alongside the opportunity to share more about their work with attendees.

The charities recognised on the night were The Hummingbird Project, which provides furniture, clothing and essential items for women leaving abusive relationships; Tameside Wig and Scarf Room, supporting people undergoing chemotherapy; and Our Kids Eyes, which works with children with learning disabilities.

Also honoured were the Dementia Café at St George’s Church in Stalybridge, offering social support for people living with dementia and their carers; Tameside Help 2U, which assists individuals setting up new homes after leaving abusive partners; and Tameside Young Carers, supporting children who care for unwell family members.

Representatives from each charity gave short presentations, highlighting the impact of their work within the community.

Organiser, Jill Dewsnap said the evening also created valuable networking opportunities, with hopes that stronger links between the groups will lead to increased collaboration and support across Tameside.

The event was attended by two members of Soroptimist International Tamworth, a friendship group, with discussions already underway about a potential joint project in the future.

Soroptimist International of Ashton-under-Lyne now hopes to repeat the event next year and is encouraging residents to put forward other small, local charities that could benefit from future support.