Mel Evans Foundation chosen as Cannock Chamber’s charity of the year

A charity with ‘colossal’ ambitions raising awareness of Motor Neurone Disease (MND) has been elected as the chosen charity of the Cannock Chamber of Commerce.

The Mel Evans MBE foundation honours the legacy of Mel Evans MBE (pictured), a champion Crown Green Bowler responsible for bringing the sport to TV with more than 100 caps for Staffordshire County.

The aim of the foundation is to spread awareness of MND while organising dedicated bowling events to raise funds for research and promote Crown Green Bowls at a grassroot level.

It was founded by Mel’s wife Lynn Pritchatt, following his death. Both Mel and Lynn have enjoyed illustrious careers in the sport and spearheaded media coverage on platforms including Sky TV and Channel 4.

Since Mel’s passing, the Crown Green Bowling community has rallied around the foundation, helping raise more than £100,000 for MND research.

The patrons of the Mel Evans foundation include former World Snooker Champion and Crown Green Bowls enthusiast John Parrott MBE, and Professor Dame Pamela Shaw, one of the UK’s leading neuroscientists and head of the Sheffield Institute for Translational Neuroscience (SITraN).

Lynn Pritchatt said: “On behalf of the Mel Evans MBE Foundation, we are delighted and immensely proud to have been selected as Chase Chamber Charity of the Year for 2025.

“We are a small Charity with colossal ambitions to make a difference to the future trajectory of Motor Neurone Disease.

“To be working alongside Cannock Chase Chamber of Commerce will offer us an opportunity to raise awareness of our work amongst the Chase business community.

“It is very special for our Foundation to be the Chase Chamber Charity of the Year partner as Mel Evans MBE lived and worked in Cannock all his life and was a Cannock lad through and through.

“On behalf of all Trustees and Patrons, we look forward to working with Chase Chamber of Commerce as your chosen charity partner for the next year and look forward to a mutually beneficial partnership.”

Last year, the charity partnered with the Darby Rimmer Foundation to host the inaugural Football Against MND Gala Dinner at Old Trafford. The evening brought together football stars including Sir Alex Ferguson, Ron Atkinson, and Jill Scott MBE to stand in solidarity with the MND community.

Later this year, the Mel Evans Foundation will be hosting a Masked Entertainer Gala Dinner at Edgbaston Stadium with sporting stars and celebrities including Phil Tufnell, Chris Broad, Marcus Stewart, Amanda Barrie, Daniel Brocklebank, Peter Ash and Jonathan Agnew.

Click here to book tickets to the event happening on Saturday, 18 October.

President of the Cannock Chamber of Commerce, David Mitchell, said: “The Cannock Chamber is proud to support the Mel Evans MBE Foundation as our chosen charity.

“This incredible organisation is making a real impact by raising awareness of Motor Neurone Disease and supporting those affected.

“As a Chamber, we recognise the importance of giving back to our community, and we look forward to working alongside the foundation to help amplify its vital mission."

Richard Brooks, head of Cannock and Burton Chambers of Commerce said: “I’m extremely pleased to have The Mel Evans Foundation as Cannock Chase Chamber Charity of the Year.

“As a former rugby player, I've seen the profound impact of Motor Neurone Disease (MND), including the loss of my first rugby coach, plus prominent players like Rob Burrow and Doddie Weir.

“The foundation honours Mel Evans MBE, a local Cannock sportsman renowned for his contribution cricket and Crown Green Bowls, who was diagnosed with MND in 2016 and sadly passed away in 2017”

Click here for more information about the Mel Evans Foundation.