Goodyear workers present a scalp cooler to new Cross hospital.
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00:00The last projects we're going to do, it's the end of a journey. I'm absolutely delighted to be
00:10accompanied by ex-Goodyear workers, my friend and colleague Mark Jenkins and Larry here.
00:18What we set out in 2015, if you like, put a plan together to create and leave a positive legacy
00:36to all of the ex-Goodyear workers in Wolverhampton by supporting registered charities.
00:44We didn't give money to any charity, but what we've done with this is we
00:52looked to do projects and we spent over half a million pound here at the hospital
00:57because they've treated, they've looked after, they've cared for our members, the family and
01:04the local community. It is absolutely, there's no words that I can use to say thank you to each
01:11and every one of you. You're fantastic, you're inspiring people. A little bit of the story when
01:20we started was, Mark Jenkins and myself, we contacted the Expressions staff and we spoke to
01:31Keith Harrison and Pete Mairby and Pete, God rest his soul, he was the only one outside the
01:40trustees and management committee that knew the total amount of money that we were actually going
01:47to, looking to spend in the community. Sadly, about 12 months, around 12 months before he passed,
01:58we were talking about something and he said, oh you're going to have that money soon
02:03and we chatted for a bit. I said, well let me make a promise. I said, when we close the fund down
02:11I'll do everything to make sure that you're there. Sadly, he wasn't to be the case and a good man.
02:19The project we're doing today is one of many, many, many, many projects that we've done and we're
02:25doing another one after this and it's all about kindness, about decency and caring for our
02:33community. The only thing I would ask of all of you, the paper for which we've walked hand in hand,
02:41how many photographs have we been on? Lots, lots, lots and it's about creating and leaving and
02:49showing the ex-members where their money has gone, where it's been spent, who to help them,
02:55who to support them. What I would ask is that the community of Wolverhampton and the black country
03:03never forget the kindness and the decency and care of the ex-members of the Union Benevolent Fund
03:11and to all of you, thank you for what you've done. Thank you.