Harvest dinner raises £1,100 for marines charity

FROME Inner Wheel Club recently organised the 24th annual Harvest Thanksgiving for local farmers.

Club correspondent Renée Cole reports, “The 24th Harvest Thanksgiving for the Frome area farmers was held at Standerwick on Thursday evening 6th October.

“The service was conducted by Rotarian Hilary Daniel, and the address given by Rotarian Reverend Ward Jones in his beautiful robes for his position as Methodist Bishop in Korea.

“The Rev. Ward Jones commented on the fact that the service is always a very relaxed and lovely occasion with everyone having a ‘drink’ under their seat, and he wondered what his forebears in the Methodist Church would think of this!

“Inner Wheel president Pam Brewster read the first Reading and  Mr. Jonathan Cheal the second.

“The collection during the service and the later auction proceeds were for The Royal Marines Charitable Trust.

“The CEO of the trust, Jonathan Ball,  followed the service with a very interesting and informative speech and it was a big surprise that the other forces charities do not cover The Royal Marines who are 3% of the forces, but were 16% of the forces sent to Afghanistan and Iraq and incurred 25% of the casualties.

“Of the 445 UK fatalities suffered 60 were of the Royal Marines – 155 Royal Marines are now disabled and need through life support. 30 are amputees and there are a further 256 Marines who suffered significant life-changing injuries, of whom 180 have shown signs of post traumatic stress.

“After the speech everyone recessed for refreshments, which were followed by an auction of the harvest gifts brought by the ladies of Inner Wheel.

“The auction was presided over by Dennis Barnard, Frome Rotarian, with his usual flair and quick humour, and the collection, auction proceeds, together with the days takings from the Rotary Shop in Westway Centre, made a resounding figure over £1,100.

“President Pam Brewster would like to thank all those involved in the organisation of the evening and all the lovely people who gave so generously for the charity.”