Charity starts a busy year (From Witney Gazette)

Charity starts a busy year

8:02am Monday 28th January 2008 in Witney By Denise Barkley

A GROUP of Witney fundraisers have celebrated a bumper year, which brought in £35,000 for the Oxfordshire charity Against Breast Cancer (ABC).

The nine ladies of the Witney fundraising team of ABC held a wide variety of events during 2007, which resulted in them smashing the previous year's total of £22,000.

"It was a fantastic year of fundraising," said Witney ABC chairman, Jeanne Chattoe. "We have a brilliant profile in Witney, and our events are so well supported. We also receive support and donations from individuals, companies, and organisations - which is just fantastic.

"We are humbled by the unstinting support of the people of Witney, and we hope we can go on to even bigger and better things in 2008."

Witney ABC's main fundraiser each year is Witney in the Pink Day, when the whole town is decorated with pink balloons, and the shops take part in a best decorated shop window competition; there is a street collection, entertainment, stalls and a Big Pink Balloon Race. Last year, it raised £5,000. This year, Witney in the Pink Day takes place on Saturday, October 4.

A new event last year was running a Grand Raffle at the Spring Grand Sale, at Sudeley Castle, in Gloucestershire. This brought in £4,000. The Witney team will be running the raffle at this exclusive homes and gardens sale again this year, from April 24 to 27 inclusive. The first prize is a beautiful pink sofa, worth almost £3,000, made specially for ABC by Wesley-Barrell, of Witney.

Other events in the pipeline include a film night, coach trips, and craft fairs.

Witney ABC treasurer, Laura Hounam, is running a jewellery and crafts sale at Cogges Manor Farm Museum, Witney, on Sunday, February 10, from noon until 3pm. Entry is free, and there will be hand-made jewellery, bags, and accessories on sale, as well as greetings cards, children's books, and paintings.