KIND-HEARTED workers at Wyre Forest's biggest carpet company have dipped in to their pay packets to back Operation Covert.

Employees of Brintons Carpets contribute to good causes through a voluntary scheme in which they choose to have an amount deducted from their salary throughout the year.

Administered by the Brintons Employees Charity Trust, it has donated many thousands of pounds to charity over the years and 16 groups will be sharing nearly £6,000 this year.

Two thirds of the amount donated by those taking part goes to the same charities each year, but they also nominate additional local groups to benefit from the remaining third.

Operation Covert is one of six causes each receiving £323 this year. The others are Kidderminster St John Ambulance, 3rd Stourport Brownies, Wyre Forest Women's Aid, Toc H thumb-a-lift scheme and North Worcestershire Bereavement Support.

Debbie Jackson, secretary of the trust, said: "It is always difficult to decide where to donate the money because there are so many worthy causes. But our employees do like to support things as local as possible.

"Rhydd Covert was nominated by one of our employees and proved a popular choice. A lot of them have connections with Scouts and Guides and it is our local campsite."

She added: "Many have children who have been to Rhydd Covert or have friends whose children have used it. In fact some employees have their own experiences of going there when they were younger.

"We felt it was felt important to support the project to rebuild it."

Ten groups will share the remaining £3,880. They are the Salvation Army, Wrekin Voluntary Helping Hand Association, Sunfield Children's Home, Telford & Wrekin Community Trust, County Air Ambulance, Furnishing Trades Benevolent Association, Kidderminster Hospital League of Friends, Midland Society for the Blind, Kidderminster branch of RNLI and Barnardo's.

Operation Covert aims to rebuild the Rhydd Covert activity centre after vandals set fire to it last October.

The appeal, launched exactly a year ago by the Shuttle/Times & News, has been a huge success and the Wyre Forest community has already raised £50,000 towards the £80,000 target.