West Oxfordshire councillor donates almost £5k to charities

The funds were raised by West Oxfordshire District Council Chair Councillor Andrew Coles during his term in office and will be shared between Dementia Oxfordshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Rescue.

A total of £4,402.88 was raised during his charitable campaign, with both organisations set to receive £2,201.44 each.

Councillor Coles said: “It has been a real honour and privilege to serve as Chair over the past year and to meet so many residents, visitors, charities and businesses as part of my duties and engagements.

“I am particularly proud to have drawn attention to the wonderful work of both Dementia Oxfordshire and Oxfordshire Wildlife Rescue and highlight the genuine difference they are making across West Oxfordshire and beyond.”

Throughout the year, Councillor Coles hosted a mix of fundraising activities, including coffee mornings, bake sales, a civic curry dinner and a Christmas carol service at St Batholomew’s Church in Ducklington.

The charities reflect his personal connection to dementia through a family member and his passion for nature and conservation.

Funds will support the ongoing work of Dementia Oxfordshire, which is delivered by Oxfordshire Age UK.

Peter Johnson, Head of Service for Dementia Oxfordshire, said: “We are so grateful for the money raised by Councillor Coles, and really appreciate the enormous effort that has gone into raising such an incredible amount.

“Money from fundraising allows us to organise social groups and activities where carers and people with dementia can meet others in a similar situation, building a vital network and warding off the social isolation and loneliness can so often be the reality for people with a dementia diagnosis and their unpaid carers.

“We also use this additional funding to print paper copies of guides and key publications, which is so important for those who are not able to access information online.”

Luke Waclawek, founder and CEO of Oxfordshire Wildlife Rescue, also expressed his appreciation.

He said: “We are all extremely grateful for Councillor Coles’s amazing support this year and for all the help and exposure.

“We were especially delighted to welcome Andrew to our Wildlife Rescue Centre earlier in the civic year so he could see firsthand what we do and meet our team of volunteers.

“As a small charity, our work is funded entirely by the kindness and generosity of donations by our supporters and members of the public.”

Councillor Coles welcomed Kerry Hyatt, one of Dementia Oxfordshire’s locality managers, to WODC’s Woodgreen offices to collect the cheque.