'Dudley is the place to be!' says Pete Waterman ahead of charity event opening
Music industry icon Pete Waterman will open a charity event in Dudley hoping to raise over £10,000 for good causes later this year.
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The Black Country Innovative Manufacturing Organisation(BCIMO) is hoping to raise money for five charities at it's Family Day event on May 17.
Now BCIMO, the not-for-profit research and technology organisation which runs the £32 million Very Light Rail National Innovation Centre in Dudley, has announced that producer and songwriter Pete Waterman will open the event.
Mr Waterman is president of the Railway Benefit Fund, which supports current, former and retired railway people, and is one of the charities who are set to receive money raised on the day.
"I love Dudley - I might be from Wednesbury, but Dudley’s the place to be! The RBF are really pleased to be supporting BCIMO, and I’m looking forward to it," he said.
“I’m a big fan of the RBF, I have been for 25 years, and am proud to be their President and help raise the profile of the great work we do.
"The history of the charity is just incredible, some of its patrons in the past have included Charles Dickens. It’s so rewarding to be a part of a charity which supports railway people facing hardship in the UK.”
Railway Benefit Fund joins four other charities chosen by the BCIMO team, including The Kaleidoscope Plus Group, which provides mental health and wellbeing services, Railway Children, which supports vulnerable children, 4Louis, which supports families who have lost a baby, and Young Lives vs. Cancer, which works with children and their families affected by cancer.
The BCIMO says businesses who want to get involved can help out by sponsoring the event, with a range of packages available from ‘Bronze’ for £250 to ‘Platinum’ for £2000.
“We’re really excited to add Railway Benefit Fund to the very special charities we’ve already chosen for Family Day, and also looking forward to welcoming Pete to visit the VLRNIC and open the event," said Olivia Brown, Operations & Marketing Manager at BCIMO.
"Our mission to raise money for these charities is very important to us, and we really hope that businesses will support us through sponsorship or donation, and the local and rail communities will come along and help us reach – if not exceed! – our fundraising goal.”
