THE Mayor of Dudley got her fundraising off to a bumper start with a £1,000 donation from a borough group.

Gifted by The Saleem Foundation, it is the first significant donation of the Mayoral year and will go towards her chosen charities - The Duke of Edinburgh Awards and Dudley Mind.

The new Mayor, Councillor Anne Millward, is also in the process of setting up a community fund to give local groups access to finance.

She said: "What a fantastic start to the Mayoral year to get such a kind donation. I am so grateful to the Saleem Foundation for their hard work and generosity. Donations such as this helps these important charities continue the work they do and supporting people who need it."

The Saleem Foundation was set up in 2016 and raises awareness for issues such as mental health and domestic abuse.

It became officially registered as a charity in April 2019 and has worked with Dudley Mind to produce a short film called The Silent Pain which received an award by the charity film awards in 2020. The foundation also helps support grassroot groups with financial grants.

Councillor Shaz Saleem, founder of the Saleem Foundation, said: "When I listened to the Mayor’s reasons behind her chosen charities and how she spoke of hope and supporting one another, it really inspired me. We are very proud to be supporting our Mayor who has chosen amazing charities."

Karen Wilcox, vice chairman of the Saleem Foundation, said: "At the Saleem Foundation we always do our best to help the local community, especially helping volunteer and not for profit making organisations. When we heard about the community funds to help such groups we had to get involved, these groups give up their time to support the community, but often don’t get the recognition they deserve. It is so important we do our part to help."