BLACKWOOD Rotary Club has donated £1,000 to Jack’s Appeal, in the hope that other clubs in the area will follow their lead.

A cheque was presented to Jack Thomas’ parents, June and Grant Thomas, at a special ceremony and annual dinner event of the club at the Maes Manor Hotel in Blackwood last week..

The latest donation came from a majorly successful fundraising event the club held back in December 2012 in Cardiff, in which nearly £17,000 was raised. The club has since been distributing the money to several local charities, with the latest being Jack’s Appeal.

Barry Jones, who will become president of the Blackwood Rotary Club in July, is also the Chairman of Governors at Oakdale Comprehensive School, which Jack used to attend.

Mr Jones said: “It was a tragedy when it occurred. You don’t know when it will happen again do you?

“Some of us put a suggestion through to members to support the campaign – and for us to give this amount of money to one organisation is quite a lot.

“But hopefully we will engage a lot more of the other clubs in the area and get them to contribute as well. We will try our best to keep this going as a rotary club because it’s very much a profile thing. It’s a very important campaign and we’re delighted to support Jack’s parents.”

The club has chosen Blackwood Comprehensive as their school of choice to receive the defibrillator. The school will become the next to receive the potentially life-saving machine, as the Jack’s Appeal fund nears the £4,500 mark.