THE Swindon Advertiser was among a number of businesses and groups who were honoured by the North Wiltshire Motor Neurone Disease Support Group as they marked the 30th anniversary of the charity.

Certificates marking the support the organisations had given the charity were presented by chairman, Bob Perry, at a reception held at the Prospect Hospice in Wroughton last Thursday. The Motor Neurone Disease Support Group recently received £4,500 from the Gannett Foundation to buy three electric wheelchairs.

Each year, the Gannett Foundation, the charitable arm of the publishers of the Swindon Advertiser, offers grants of up to £50,000 to good causes in our circulation area which need extra funding for special projects.

Mr Perry, who presented the certificate to Adver editor, Dave King, said that they were delighted to receive the money. “We are very grateful for the money which has also been used to finance the adaptation of some wheelchairs for users,” he said.

“We get a lot of support from individuals, but we also get tremendous support from companies and groups and we wanted to say thank you to them.”

In the Swindon area, Mr Perry believed there were about 20 people who relied on the support of the charity. Each year they look to raise money to support those in need, including their families, as well as to raise awareness of Motor Neurone Disease, and also to recruit volunteers for their activities. Money also goes towards research nationally into a cause and eventually a cure for the disability.

The North Wiltshire Motor Neurone Disease Support Group meets bi-monthly at the Lawn Community Centre in Guildford Avenue, Lawn. The next meeting is scheduled for January 20. For more details contact Bob Perry at robert.perry3@ntlworld.com or secretary Moya Wallis at moya.wallis@virgin.net or call 01380 859611.