BIG-hearted carpet manufacturers from Kidderminster helped give charities a huge boost after raising £20,000 through a golf contest.

The annual Kidderminster Carpet Manufacturers National Charity Golf Tournament saw players do battle over two days at Kidderminster Golf Club in aid of MacMillan Cancer Support and local good causes Forest Dogs Rescue, Emily Jordan Foundation, Triangle and the Museum of Carpet.

The event has been held at the golf club for the last 62 years and organisers believe more than £1million has been raised for charities in that time.

Brockway Carpets sales director Shaun Lewis, who is chairman of the tournament committee, said: “We have been greatly supported by Kidderminster Golf Club for all these years and it is hugely appreciated.

“This event also couldn’t happen without the support of sponsors Hedlam, Barclays Bank and the whole committee.

“We are delighted to have raised so much for such worthwhile causes and we look forward to running the event again next year.”

Charles Talbot, chairman of trustees at the Museum of Carpet, said: “We rely on generosity such as this and to have the support from the carpet industry itself is extremely heart-warming.

“The committee will not realise how much this donation has done to the morale of the volunteers in this place.”

Forest Dog Rescue chairman Maureen Shaffrey and officer Anne Jenkins said their outgoings are around £18,000 per month.

Maureen said: “This money is an incredible boost to help us carry on the work we do and we can’t thank the committee enough.”

Ruth Krivosic, chief executive of the Emily Jordan Foundation, which supports people with learning difficulties and celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, said their donation would fund a new ceramics project called ‘Pots’.

She added: “This money makes a huge difference to us and will allow us to buy equipment for our trainees to work safely with. The impact this will have on their lives is incredible.”

Triangle, based in George Street, provides respite care and support to people and families living with dementia and will use their cash to fund more activities and improve their outdoor area.

Deputy Manager Jeanette Samuels said: “It is wonderful that they do this event every year, raising so much for so many different charities. It is so important for us.”

And Sarah Diston, regional fundraising officer for Macmillan in Worcestershire, said: “To highlight how wonderful this donation is, it will fund a community nurse for 196 hours.

“We do not receive any national funding and rely on donations and what we can raise ourselves. Without generosity such as this, we simply couldn’t provide the care we do.”

Craig Brown, general manager of Kidderminster Golf Club, said: “We provide the course and our members give up their access to the course for two days to enable it to happen.

“It’s an important date in our calendar and we will continue to support it.”