TWO good causes have benefited from money raised during Councillor Caroline Bovey’s year as chairman of Malvern Town Council.

Coun Bovey handed over cheques for more than £650 to both the British Beekepers’ Association and Malvern MIND during a special presentation held in the chapel at Great Malvern Cemetery.

She said she was pleased to have supported two valuable organisations performing valuable work.

“In both cases it has been as much about raising awareness as fund-raising, and it has been a very successful year in those terms,” she said. “We have a big problem with bees dying and no-one is quite sure why.

At the rate we are going then pretty soon we won’t have any bees to pollinate anything and we won’t have any food. The Beekepers Association is performing valuable research.”

Coun Bovey said Malvern MIND is one of the few organisations actively helping people with mental health issues.

“Mental health is something that is very much sidelined,” she said. “Locally the facilities for people suffering with mental health problems have been cut back and cut back and now they are virtually non-existent.

“Malvern MIND is one of the few organisations actually doing anything for people with those issues and they deserve as much help as possible with their work.”

Malvern MIND chairman Bob Leverett said the group was very grateful for Coun Bovey’s efforts, and that the money would help to expand MIND’s services.

“Caroline has really helped to raise both funds and awareness,” he said. “We are currently trying to provide more drop-in facilities, and we are looking at the possibility of getting our own premises, because at the moment we hire a room at the Lyttelton Well twice a week.

“We have been looking at getting our own home for quite some time to put the group on a stronger footing.”

Malvern MIND is currently looking for a paid part-time co-ordinator and volunteer trustees. Business or service management skills or experience of sourcing funds are all desirable qualities.

Anyone interested in helping can call Mr Leverett on 01684 561503 or write to Malvern MIND at PO Box 275, WR14 9DN.