A Telford nursery owner is hoping to help restore a smile to young people’s faces with a £3,000 donation to a local charity.

Joy Francis made the donation to Axis Counselling after she found out about the work the charity does with young people in the county who have been sexually exploited.

The owner of Smiley Faces Day Nursery in Wellington said, “I know how important it is for children to have a good start in life, and I was bowled over by what Axis does.”

Axis was one of the first organisations of its kind when it was set up in Shrewsbury 22 years ago.

It has offices in Shrewsbury and Telford where it offers counselling and advice to anyone aged over 11 who has been a victim of sexual abuse. The charity worked with some of the young people involved in Operation Challice, a sexual exploitation investigation in Telford recently.

“My interest is always children and young people and I was amazed to see the work this local charity is doing quietly in the background,” said Joy, who visited Axis offices at the Glebe, Wellington, in her capacity as a Wrekin & Telford councillor. “I just wanted to help by giving a donation.”

Axis was set up by Liza Morgan MBE at a time when sexual abuse was a taboo subject. “We have come a long way since those early days, particularly in recent years since the Jimmy Saville revelations,” said Liza. “We have helped more than 9,000 people over the years and it is wonderful to see a local business valuing the work we do.”