More than £9,000 donated through forgotten Burton stories

In this article we look at recent donations to charities in Burton upon Trent through the books Friendship, Love & Truth and Labour of Love. You can find out how to buy copies of these books and learn about an event in March 2026 that will bring together all three 'forgotten' stories featured on this website: Vale Rawlings; Orton & Spooner and Lily Thomas.

This week the Vale Rawlings Project Community Interest Company made its first donations to Burton YMCA and SARAC since the launch of the Vale Rawlings' book Friendship, Love & Truth last month.

Each of the charities received £500 from book profits and extra donations from book buyers. Adding this to profits from a film night at Burton Albion FC's Pirelli Stadium last summer, kindly sponsored by Ben Robinson MBE DL, and the Strikers! play in December 2024, and a total of £3,807 has so far been split between YMCA and SARAC to work in Burton upon Trent.

Add this to the £5,428 raised for Burton & District Mind by the Labour of Love project, about fairground ride and cinema entrepreneurs Orton & Spooner, and more than £9,200 has been raised in total by the sharing of 'forgotten Burton stories'.

Elaine Pritchard, who wrote Labour of Love and Friendship, Love & Truth, said: "It's staggering to think that a little idea from a few years ago has now raised close to £10,000 for three important town-based charities. I also firmly believe that by sharing these forgotten stories I can inspire more 'story hunters' to look for more compelling stories that have been lost down the years and just wait to be discovered in our archives and libraries."

The third forgotten story that this website promotes is the story of Lily Thomas, from Burton upon Trent. She saved and transformed lives by sending more than 25,000 parcels of food, clothes and medicines to Burton men held in German Prisoner of War camps during the 1914-1918 war. Elaine wrote a play about Lily, called The Godmother, which was performed in 2021 by StageScreen performing arts school.

Elaine said: "I think all these stories give us a connection to our past. They tell us where we come from and show us what might be possible in the future.

"A common link between Vale Rawlings, George Orton, Charles Spooner and Lily Thomas is that they were determined to make life happier, safer and more fair for people. They were all determined and ambitious for their own work and projects and refused to listen to those who said it couldn't be done or put obstacles in their path - and there were plenty of those.

"It's an instinctive, basic human need to tell stories and to listen to them. I'm proud that supported by so many people in Burton and beyond I have been able to tell their stories and do good in their names.

How to buy the books

Friendship, Love & Truth, the Vale Rawlings story, will be available from various outlets in 2026 and we'll update you on that later. For now, you can contact Elaine via valerawlingsprojectcic@gmail.com to arrange to buy a book or you can go online to https://ko-fi.com/valerawlingscic It is priced at £15.99 for collection in Burton upon Trent, or £22 to include postage and packaging.

Labour of Love, the Orton & Spooner story, is currently only available from Amazon at https://amzn.to/3NE5QEL. Its RRP is £12.99.

All profits and royalties from both these books go to their respective nominated charities: Labour of Love to Burton & District Mind and Friendship, Love & Truth is split between YMCA Burton and SARAC.

For the first time - all three stories together in Burton

For the first time, Elaine will bring all three 'forgotten stories' together in a talk she has been invited to give at one of the monthly Pink Ribbon lunches in aid of breast cancer charities, held at Branston Golf & Country Club.

On Wednesday March 4 she will give a talk called Forgotten Burton Stories, which will give 10-15 minutes on each of the three stories.

Elaine said: "I'm looking forward to sharing a concise version of all three stories and reminding everyone of the wealth of history and heritage we have in Burton upon Trent and the lives and dreams and sadness of the people who walked these streets before us."

If you are interested in booking Elaine to give a talk on any aspect of the three forgotten Burton stories featured on this website, do email her at valerawlingsprojectcic@gmail.com