Council staff have helped raise £200 for charity Action Heart with a Christmas hamper raffle. Staff at the Sandwell Local office in Blackheath organised the raffle. Councillor Susan Eaves, Rowley Regis town lead member, said: “It’s great to see Rowley Regis Local organising this raffle to raise money for such an important local cause. I would like to thank all the staff for organising it and everyone who entered the raffle.”

Joy Brown, fundraising executive at Action Heart, based at Russells Hall Hospital in Dudley, said: “We very much appreciate being chosen as the charity for this. We do depend on donations such as this from the local community.”

Heather Cotterill won first prize large hamper, with Steve Insley and Lee Jameson winning the runners-up prizes.