Shrewsbury taxi driver’s £20,000 charity aid milestone A taxi driver from Shrewsbury has raised more than £20,000 for charity in the last seven years after organising dozens of gigs and events.Philip Welsby, 62, of Featherbed Lane, topped the milestone after raising more than £5,000 for Help for Heroes through two gig nights last year. The father-of-one organised a gig at the Wheatsheaf pub in Frankwell on August bank holiday which saw four bands perform.
And in October he held a Tom Jones and Neil Diamond tribute night at the Lord Hill Hotel in Abbey Foregate.
The prolific fundraiser, who has worked for Comet Cars for the last 12 years, handed over the cash to Help for Heroes.
Some of the causes he has helped include Severn Hospice, Diabetes UK, West Midlands Air Ambulance and Alderhay Children’s Hospital in Liverpool.
He began fundraising seven years ago after deciding to host a reunion event at the Lord Hill Hotel for friends he had grown up with in Old Heath, Ditherington.
He said: “It was great, we had people come from South Africa and Australia for it and we raised around £2,500 each for Severn Hospice and Diabetes UK. It is just a thing I like doing, getting everyone together, and to know the money is going to help a good cause is great. I know a lot of people and everyone enjoys the gigs.”
He said he decided to choose Help for Heroes this year to do his bit for Army veterans.
He said: “The money will help ex-soldiers and their wives. Some soldiers who come back from war find it difficult to get jobs and hopefully this bit of money will help them.”
Mr Welsby said he was planning even more fundraising events, including another music night at the Lord Hill Hotel with special guest appearances by Westlife and Take That tribute acts.
He said: “I would like to thank all the friends who have helped me set up these events over the years.”
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