'Men of steel' show their softer side

Corus Strip Processing Centre has donated £1,000 to little known charity the Cornelia de Lange Syndrome (CDLS) Foundation - in recognition of a colleague whose son suffers from the rare genetic disorder.

The close knit team, based at the Steelpark in Wednesfield, have watched 16-year old Craig Ryder from Oxley (son of despatch worker Paul Ryder) grow up over the years, so had no hesitation in choosing a charity close to home and in receipt of very little publicity or funding.

They were awarded the £1,000 by senior directors after 12 months of accident-free operation and sustained efforts to improve health and safety levels - and it was presented to the charity"s Telford-based treasurer, Richard Simmonds, whose 10-year old daughter Bethany also suffers from the condition.

He said: "It costs about £25,000 per annum to run the charity, so a single donation like this is a massive amount for us and humbly appreciated. The foundation is very much aimed at research into the condition and support for the affected children and families."

"We also fund a website and quarterly newsletter from that, as well as regional meetings and conferences where we try and fly in top doctors from around the world, so the Corus donation really will go a long way to help."

Mr Ryder said: "I was chuffed to bits when general manager Mick Horan told me abut the overwhelming vote for CDLS - and so was Craig. My colleagues have always been good to him, but this is special and epitomises the camaraderie we have here."

The cheque presentation was followed by a VIP tour of the company"s state-of-the-art facilities for both Craig and Bethany.

Paul added: "Craig has always nagged me about having a look round work, so this presentation seemed the perfect opportunity. He loved the VIP treatment and it really was the perfect end to a very meaningful day."

NB: Cornelia de Lange Syndrome causes physical and learning difficulties from an early age and can range from very mild to severe. There are only 400 or so sufferers in the UK and typical symptoms include restricted growth, mental handicaps, limb abnormalities and distinctive facial features. For further information visit www.cdls.org.uk