Furniture retailer Alan Ward, one of the most well-known and established brands in Shropshire, has thrown its support behind The Rural Charity.
Formed as an offshoot of the Shropshire and West Midlands Agricultural Society, The Rural Charity aims to raise funds and donate grants to individuals, groups and organisations who share an interest in agriculture and the rural economy of Shropshire.
The partnership will involve the retailer, which is the county’s premier destination for home furnishings, beds and carpets, donating furniture to The Rural Charity, which will then be sold on through the charity’s shops. The Rural Charity currently has five shops located in Oswestry, Church Stretton, Shrewsbury and two in Wem, with plans to open a sixth shop later this year in Whitchurch.
Ian Bebbington, society director, said: “We’re really grateful that a company of Alan Ward’s reputation and standing has come on board with us. The money we raise allow us to support a wide variety of people and organisations, such as the young farmer who went to Canada so she could learn about farmer techniques over there. In the past, we’ve also given grants to the likes of the Wem Jubilee Band, The Grinshill Animal Rescue Centre, The Friends of Wem Cemetery and many more.”
Carl Johnson, managing director of Alan Ward, which has its flagship 90,000sq ft store in Shrewsbury, with additional stores in Chester, Winsford and Newcastle-Under-Lyme, said: “Alan Ward is a family-owned business with strong links to the county. We have always had an ethos of giving back to the community and The Rural Charity does fantastic work, so I’m really proud to associate Alan Ward with the charity.”
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