CHURCHGOERS in Bromsgrove are being given the chance to hear first-hand the rags-to-riches tale of a Christian businessman who, last year, handed over £5m to a charitable trust.

This Sunday morning (May 26), NewSong Community Church, in Broad Street, will play host to Robert Edmiston - chairman and chief executive of the IM Group, which has an annual turnover in excess of £300m.

The father of three grown children regularly appears in the top 100 richest people in the UK list.

Mr Edmiston, born in India in 1946, the son of a British wartime pilot, started his business career as a bank clerk when he was 17.

With a £6,000 redundancy payment, he launched IM Group in 1976, becoming a leading importer of Isuzu and Subaru vehicles.

Now, he owns a multi-million pound West Midlands motor and property business.

He is also the founder of a charitable trust called Christian Vision, whose objective is to communicate the Christian message to Third World countries.

The trust annually receives around 10 per cent of the group's company profits, and Mr Edmiston has handed over a total of £30m since its foundation in 1988.

NewSong senior minister Peter Billingham said: "As a part of our series called Strategies for Winning the Game of Life, we are excited that Bob is coming to speak at the church.

"Apart from talking about his faith in God and how this has made an impact on his business, he will be answering questions on various subjects such as can you be ethical in business and still succeed?"

The event begins at 11am.

For more information about NewSong Community Church, log-on to www.NEWSONG.CO.UK