BIG-hearted businessman Geoff Hill is celebrating after his charitable trust has reached its 20th year of operation.

The popular Amblecote electrical store boss has taken stock of the 6,512 donations he has made over the past two decades and was surprised to discover he had given away £565,936.72 to local causes.

“I was really surprised when we added it up that we have donated so much,” said the 88-year-old. “I don’t keep track of the donations, I just write the cheques!”

A charity fundraiser for many years – even before the start of his own trust – Wordsley resident Geoff began collecting money for others after his oldest daughter was born with special needs.

He said: “We’ve always been doing work for various charities as they have done so much to help us.

“My eldest daughter has to have one-on-one care, and ever since we could we have been fundraising for the home where she lives. We have raised more than a million pounds for local charities including Mary Stevens Hospice.

“But 20 years ago we stopped doing fundraisers and set up the charitable trust.”

The Geoff Hill Charitable Trust currently owns two properties – a dental practice opposite his Amblecote High Street store, and a British Heart Foundation shop in Halesowen – with the money made from those businesses going straight back out to worthy causes.

“I’ve nearly been in tears when you get thank you letters from the people who we’ve helped,” Geoff said. “One young lad who was raising money for his Scouts trip abroad, sent me a beautiful handwritten letter, which was lovely of him.

“Another time was when we donated just £50 to the nursing home near the Island Pool as they were making blankets for homeless people and needed materials.

“They were so grateful and it really hit me about how even relatively small donations can mean so much.”

His fundraising feats have not gone unnoticed outside of Stourbridge, with Geoff being awarded an MBE in 2004, as well as an invitation for him and his wife Sue to the royal family’s Christmas party.

Sue said: “Geoff has been to the palace four times now, but to be invited to the Christmas party was an honour.

“It was lovely and very different to be able to interact with the royals when they were relaxed and not on one of their formal visits. They were really friendly and were really interested when we told them about everything we do.”

His community charity work also saw Geoff named a winner at the 2015 Dudley Volunteer Awards, when he was handed the ‘Business Supporting the Community Award’.

Geoff added: “We are actually now giving money away quicker than we get it in, but giving to others is one of the best things we can do.

“What is the point of having the money if you are not going to help people with it.”