Liverpool Lord Mayor Cllr Christine Banks with Sue Weir, Medicash CEO
TWO of Merseyside’s oldest charities – Medicash and Bradbury Fields – have been awarded the Freedom of the City of Liverpool.
Medicash, which has a history dating back to 1871, was recognised for its longstanding commitment to charitable giving and contribution to healthcare.
Medicash chief executive Sue Weir said: “This is a tremendous honour for us and reflects the hard work and important contributions of current and former Medicash staff.
“It is also testament to the invaluable work done by all those involved with the projects and organisations we have supported over the last 147 years.”
Lord Mayor Cllr Christine Banks said: “Freedom of the City status is reserved for selected organisations that have made a very special and significant, long-term contribution to the people of Liverpool. Medicash’s distinguished record of philanthropy and work in healthcare means the organisation is thoroughly deserving of this award. Staff, past and present, should be very proud.”
Medicash employs over 80 staff from its offices in Derby Square. The organisation provides affordable health plans to individuals and businesses across the UK.
Over the last ten years Medicash has donated over £1 million to NHS and health related charities. Charities that have benefitted from Medicash donations recently also include Samaritans, the Firefighters Charity and Medicash Chair, Frank Field MP’s ‘Feeding Birkenhead’ initiative.
Last year, Medicash won the Silver Cardiac Smart Award from the North West Ambulance Service (NWAS) NHS Trust in recognition of its CardiACT campaign which saw 55 defibrillators installed across the region.
Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson, Frank McFarlane (chair, Bradbury Fields), Philip Longworth (chief executive, Bradbury Fields) and Abila Pointing, Deputy Lieutenant of Merseyside with Lord Mayor Cllr Christine Banks (seated)
BRADBURY Fields has supported blind and partially sighted people since the 1850s.
Formerly known as the Liverpool Voluntary Society for the Blind, the charity is dedicated to working with blind and partially sighted people, helping them to become part of their local communities.
Lord Mayor Cllr Christine Banks said: “Bradbury Fields has helped generations of people who suffer from poor sight to live as normal a life as possible and be able to do all of the things that we all take for granted.”
Mayor of Liverpool Joe Anderson added: “We are fortunate to have Bradbury Fields based in Liverpool, making such a huge difference to the lives of so many people.
“Their work is much valued and appreciated, and awarding them the Freedom of Liverpool is our way of saying thank you.”
The organisation was established in 1857 to provide a service for blind people in their own homes, and in the beginning, this meant teaching reading skills to enable blind people to access scriptures.
Today, it employs 26 members of staff who work in partnership with Liverpool, Knowsley and Sefton Councils and Royal Liverpool and Aintree Hospitals to provide eye clinic liaison services and a statutory rehabilitation service for people of all ages.
The charity’s chief executive, Philip Longworth, said: “We are pleased to have been recognised for our contribution to the local community for over 160 years.”
Frank McFarlane (chair, Bradbury Fields), Liverpool Lord Mayor Cllr Christine Banks, Liverpool Mayor Joe Anderson and Geraldine Bounds (vice-chair, Bradbury Fields
