Another donation from Wellingborough man who has given away thousands of pounds

Mahendra Bhojani moved to Wellingborough in 1972 and has been supporting charities in the area ever since.

Over the years, groups he has given money to include Wellingborough Mind, Pravasi Mandal in Elsden Road and the Wellingborough branch of Age Concern.

He has also supported the Warwickshire and Northamptonshire Air Ambulance and East Midlands Ambulance Service.

Mr Bhojani met with Wellingborough mayor Malcolm Waters last week to present him with a cheque for his charity of the year, Contact The Elderly.

It is a national charity dedicated to combating loneliness and social isolation among older people, although this is not the first time Mr Bhojani has supported the mayors of Wellingborough as he has made numerous donations to them over the years.

Mr Bhojani, who donates the money from his own pocket, said: “I have been doing it since 1972.

“I like to help needy people and groups like the air ambulance, who don’t get any money and rely on donations.

“Every year I give out something like £700.

“It makes me happy in my heart.”

Mr Bhojani said he started giving out money when he lived in Africa when he saw ‘poor people and people suffering in hospitals and so many organisations.’

He said he saw much of this on the television, but elsewhere too.

Mr Bhojani said: “In Africa, I used to see people with no money.

“I used to work in an office and they said I haven’t got any money so I gave them money.”

He added: “It’s in my blood.

“If I help someone, I get pleasure in my heart and I forget everything that happened in Uganda.”

Mr Bhojani also supports Wellingborough’s Isebrook Hospital and Northampton General Hospital (NGH), and received an award for five years of service at NGH.

Thanking Mr Bhojani for his support, Cllr Waters said: “What an outstanding member of our society.

“For many years now he has been donating to many different types of charities and worthy causes, and I hope he will continue his wonderful work for many years to come.

“And personally I must thank him for the cheques he has given to our charity.

“If society was filled with people like him, our lives would be a lot easier.”