Local MP
first to respond to appeal for help
Local MP to
work Saturdays on market stall for local church
group
Dudley North
MP Ian Austin will work Saturdays on St Johns Church Preservation
groups Dudley market stall to help raise money to restore the great
local landmark to its former glory.
Austin will do his first shift on Saturday 5 January
2010 at 1pm with local Councillors Steve Waltho, John Davies and
Shaukat Ali on the stall in Dudley Market.
The stall
has been launched by the group to raise the profile and funds of
the cause. The stall raises around £80 per week and is
visited by hundreds of local residents every
Saturday.
Austin has been active support of the St John’s
Preservation group since it’s formation and worked hard alongside
local activists to the get the church listed-building
status.
Austin has also donated prizes for the groups many
raffles and fundraisers, including a bottle of House of Commons
whisky personally signed by the Prime Minister.
Ian Austin
MP said:
“As soon as
I received the email from Deb and the St John’s group I immediately
responded offering to help out on Saturdays. The work the
group do locally is amazing and the determination of local
campaigners such as Deb has been amazing.”
“I want
local people to come and see us on the stall and show their
support. St John’s Church represents a very important part of
Dudley’s heritage and landscape. It is one of the most
prominent buildings in our town and one of the first sights people
see when visiting Dudley, it’s a beautiful building and embodies
the local history I am for one as so proud of.”
St John
Preservation Group leader Deb Brownlee said:
“The stall
on Dudley market is a great way for us to raise valuable funds and
speak to local people. The amount of people who have come to
see so far is great but we want more shoppers to pop by and say
hello.”
“Ian Austin
MP was the first person to respond to the email I sent out asking
people for help and I am very thankful that he is giving up his
Saturdays to help us.”
| 
