Robbie has been nominated for charity award

Williams is used to receiving awards for his music – but now he has been nominated as a Sentinel Hero for the work he does for charity. While the singer, above, may have long left his native Stoke-on-Trent, the Potteries are never far from his thoughts, as he has shown in his song lyrics and interviews. And numerous charities and community groups have been given cash by the singer, through the Give It Sum fund he set up for Comic Relief in 2000. Then, Robbie used £2 million he earned from advertising Pepsi cola to launch the venture so he could give back to worthy causes in the city of his birth.

Since then he has donated generously to help set up a number of charities and community groups; provided children’s play equipment, football team strips and tackled poverty; and ploughed cash into schools and education. Now, after winning 15 Brit Awards – more than any other artist – Robbie has been nominated for a Sentinel Our Heroes Award in the Charity Champion category. John Reynolds, chairman of Holden Lane Residents’ Association, is grateful to Robbie for the £30,000 he provided to build a new playground on land off Repington Road, Sneyd Green.

Mr Reynolds said: “Robbie has put a lot of money into Sneyd Green over the years. It was Robbie Williams who first started our residents’ association with a donation of £500. “If it wasn’t for Robbie we wouldn’t exist and we wouldn’t have been able to build the playground. In fact, if it wasn’t for Robbie there are a lot of community groups that wouldn’t exist today.” The Give It Sum Fund allocates grants of up to £30,000 to community organisations with an income under £150,000. The fund has given out more than 260 grants since it was set up.

Kerry Bradbury, secretary of Newcastle Albion Football Team, says the singer bought coats and jumpers for the under-10s players. She said: “It’s great to see Robbie being recognised for the good work he does.” Robbie’s mum Jan Williams is a director of the charity. She said: “I think it’s really good of them to nominate him. He has never asked for anything in return from anyone. “He’s just glad he’s been able to do something. Robbie will be thrilled, but in a shy way.” She added: “It has been lovely to be part of it, to make a difference. “And you can see the difference Give It Sum has made. It has been a most wonderful period, one of the best of my life. “Robert wanted it to be a hand up, not a hand out.” (source: thisisstaffordshire.co.uk)

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