MEMBERS of a judo club are fighting to raise cash for our appeal with a special tournament.

The Samurai Judo Club in Kidderminster is to continue its tradition of staging a competition for charities with Saturday's event.

Other judo clubs have been invited to compete in the league-based event, at Lisle Avenue in Kidderminster.

The entrance fee will be pledged towards the appeal, along with a raffle. The contest begins at 9.30am.

Andrew Haffner, who runs the club, told the Shuttle/Times and News: "We are already committed this year to run an event for the Oncology Unit at Good Hope Hospital in memory of Arthur Hill, a judo referee from Birmingham who died last year and who had often supported our events but, when the Rhydd Covert Appeal started, we felt we could run to another smaller, charity event as well in the same year, because this is an ideal cause for us, as we like to support local causes, particularly involving children and young people."

He added: "The club has a policy of running an annual event for local charity. Three years ago, we raised £1,000 for Kemp Hospice, the following year it was £1,000 for Blakebrook School's riding for the disabled scheme, then, last year, £840 for the Ray Mercer Fund."

For information on how to enter the tournament, contact Mr Haffner on 0776 1122977.

Workers show festive

spirit towards appeal

A PLANT and tool hire company has continued to show its support for the Covert appeal with a cash donation.

Employees at Hire-It! - which sold our special Operation Covert badges and stickers - pledged cash to the appeal instead of sending Christmas cards to each other.

The firm also put money into the kitty that it had saved on sending seasonal greetings to clients, boosting our appeal by £170.

Fiona Davies, co-owner of the Worcester Road firm, said: "We have all had children who visited Rhydd Covert and we have got lads who work for us who used it when they were young and have children who are using it now and so we all thought it was a good cause."

The firm also raised cash for the Millbrook Suite at Kidderminster Hospital during 2003.

"We like to support local charities for our Christmas card appeal," Mrs Davies said.

The firm also stocked car stickers and sew-on badges specially made to support Operation Covert.

Staff at Wyre Forest District Council also sacrificed greeting one another with Christmas cards to raise cash for the appeal.

Employees who work at the Civic Centre in Stourport raised £43 in the run-up to Christmas.

Appeal's total hits £15,000

OUR appeal has cruised past the £15,000 mark in just three months.

The present total stands at £16,192 towards rebuilding the torched Scout hut at Rhydd Covert for district youngsters.

Residents have continued to give generously to Operation Covert and organise events to raise sponsorship cash.

Businesses, clubs and Scout groups have also backed the campaign, launched 13 weeks ago.

Mark Woodward, site warden at Rhydd Covert, said: "We are just overwhelmed by the support. The money is still coming in and there are more and more people coming on board from people making donations to clubs organising events."

Shuttle/Times and News editor, Clive Joyce, said: "The response from the community has been brilliant. It works out a more than £1,000 a week so far but we have got a long way to go and it is important that we keep the momentum going so that we can replace this important centre as quickly as possible."

Advertisers in £100 donation

THE Shuttle/Times and News joined forces with advertisers to give a cash boost to the appeal.

The newspaper has made a donation of more than £100 after publishing a special Christmas Greetings feature from advertisers to its customers.

A percentage of the cost of the advertisements was donated to the appeal.

Special badges back on sale

SCOUT badges made especially for our appeal are back on sale after the first run sold out.

The first 500 badges - bearing "I'm Supporting Operation Covert" - were snapped up by Scouts young and old and more have been produced to meet demand. The badges, which Scouts collect, are again available from the Kidderminster Shuttle offices in Blackwell Street, Kidderminster and also in the town at John Beard ironmongers, Bridge Street, and Hire-It! in Worcester Road, Kidderminster.

We've supported Operation Covert

BUSINESSES

Cadspec

Duke William pub

Exilco

Hartbeat Fitness Training

Horwath Clark Whitehill

MJS IT Services

Sainsbury's, Kidderminster

Severn Water Products

Topstitch

Webb Tolley

SCHOOLS

Franche First

Mayfield House Kindergaten

Sutton Park First

Wolverley Sebright First

ORGANISATIONS

5th and 6th Stourport Brownies

Bridgnorth Vintage Machinery Club

Chaddesley Corbett Freemasons

Classical Music Society

Harlequins Orienteering Club

Hope and Charity Freemasons

KD9 Scouts

Kidderminster Carolians RFC

Kidderminster Horticultural Society

Kidderminster Lions FC

Kidderminster Rotary Club

Kidderminster Soroptimists

Severn and Teme District Scouts

Stourport Choral and Operatic Society

Stourport Rotary Club

Stourport Social Day Centre

Sytchampton Folk Dance Club

Vernon Freemasons

Wolverley Ladies Fellowship

Wyre Forest Conservatives

Wyre Forest district councillors

Wyre Forest Golf Club seniors

Wyre Forest Scottish Country Dance Club

Wyre Forest Young Enterprise