IT'S all change at Pedmore Sporting Club after a record year of fundraising.

Jon Bellfield has taken over as president of the Stourbridge-based club, after two years as chairman, following a year in which it donated more than £87,000 to good causes and charities.

The club, which was set up in 1970 by a group of Stourbridge businessmen to help those less fortunate, gave donations including £10,000 to Acorns Hospice, £5,000 to Meningitis Research, £3,480 to Help for Heroes, and £16,000 to Stourbridge mum Deb Drew, who suffered devastating brain damage injuries after trying to rescue a young boy from pounding surf at Woolacombe, north Devon, in 2014, after raising the cash through a stream of fundraisers.

Events included a summer ball which raised more than £20,000, a celebrity lunch with former boxing world champion John Conteh which coined in more than £2,500, and a Beefeater dinner which raised almost £2,700.

Mr Bellfield, executive chairman of Belbroughton-based property developers and investors Barberry Group, said: “Members once again continued the proud tradition of Pedmore Sporting Club during 2017.

"Another remarkable year of enjoyable events and fundraising enabled us to donate a record amount of £87,914 to many local needy causes.”

He said it had been a "privilege" to be chairman for the last two years of the club which he has been a member of for 25 years and he added: “This is a wonderful club. It is great to see it going from strength to strength.

"We’re grateful for the amazing support we receive from members and sponsors. Since the club was established it has donated more than £1.45 million to very deserving causes."

Adrian Grainger, a senior partner at Brierley Hill-based accountants Griffiths & Pegg, has now taken over as chairman after a year as deputy chairman.

Go to www.pedmoresportingclub.com for more information about the club, which is a registered charity.