Written By: Lois Downes
For the last five years the Bridgnorth Music & Arts festival has announced two carefully chosen charities to support. In the wake of the festival’s tenth year the committee have thus concluded upon the two very worthy beneficiaries for 2015.

Spokesperson Lois Downes said, “We are delighted to announce that the elected beneficiaries of 2015’s Bridgnorth Music & Arts Festival fundraising efforts shall be, the Bridgnorth Community First Responder Scheme and the Shropshire & Staffordshire Blood Bikes organisation. These two organisations are exceptionally worthy charitable causes, both providing pivotal emergency medical services to our county’s communities”.
So firstly what is the Bridgnorth Community First Responder Scheme and what is it that their responders do?

The Bridgnorth Community First Responder Scheme is a self-funded organisation that operates entirely by fully trained volunteers. Established in 2000 the voluntary scheme supports the West Midlands Ambulance Service and further provides excellent, clinical care to individuals in need of assistance. The clinical care provided by our community responders could be anything from immediate first aid right through to life saving assistance whilst ambulance attendance to the scene is called upon.

Ian Thompson, Paramedic and Volunteer Coordinator for the Bridgnorth Community First Responders provided the following statement.
“The Volunteers of Bridgnorth Community First Responder Scheme would like to express their gratitude to the Bridgnorth Music & Arts Festival for choosing our organisation as one of its two beneficiaries for this years event. Such support and kindness towards our cause is very humbling and essential in ensuring that we can equip and train our members to continue to provide medical help to our local community in support of West Midlands Ambulance Service”.

To find out more about the Bridgnorth Community First Responder Scheme and the service they provide visit: www.bridgnorth-cfrs.org
What is the Shropshire & Staffordshire Blood scheme and what is it that this organisation does?
Shropshire & Staffordshire Blood Bikes is an emergency service operated solely by volunteers and funded entirely through donations, sponsorship and fundraising efforts. By providing efficient emergency transportation of life saving medical supplies to which include blood, breast milk for ill premature babies and even urgently required surgical equipment, this voluntary emergency service has become a pivotal support network for our NHS Foundations across the county and the lives of its patients.
Chris Powdril, Chairman of Shropshire & Staffordshire Blood Bikes provided the following statement. “We are very grateful that the Bridgnorth Music & Arts Festival has chosen Shropshire & Staffordshire Blood Bikes to benefit from the festival this year. Shropshire & Staffordshire Blood Bikes is a Registered Charity No.1156212, funded by charitable donations and run entirely by volunteers. Anyone interested in volunteering or supporting Shropshire & Staffordshire Blood Bikes should visit www.ssbbgroup.org.uk”.
To find out more about Shropshire & Staffordshire Blood Bikes or to register you interest in becoming a SSBB volunteer please visit: www.ssbbgroup.org.uk
Collections for both charities shall be taking place throughout the 10-day festival period.
• Collections for both charities shall also be taking place at the Edgar David Ground during our event on Saturday 29th August.
• A licensed street collection shall be taking place on Sunday 30th August during the High Street event for both organisations.
• The Quayside event sees a collection being held for the Bridgnorth First Responders Scheme on Monday 31st August.
• The Castle Gardens Bandstand event sees a collection being held for the Shropshire & Staffordshire Blood Bikes on Saturday 5th September.
Licenced collections for both charities shall be available at all other festival events such as the Animation Festival and comedy evening.

Please be aware that all venues involved within the festival shall have obtained collection buckets for their preferred charity from the Bridgnorth Music and Arts Festival committee.

For all of the latest news and of course those very exciting dates for your diary regarding 2015’s Bridgnorth Music & Arts Festival please check back here on our website.