Final donation for local tea party

A FROME resident has donated £700 to the Somerset Air Ambulance after a year of fundraising tea parties for tenants and friends of the Gorehedge retirement community.

Brian Nicholas made his final donation to the charity after retiring from hosting the tea parties at the communal hall. He took over the running of the event after his wife, Sylvia, died in October last year. Sylvia had been running the event for a number of years.

Brian said, “I took on the responsibility after my wife died, but it’s become too much work now. I’m in my eighties and I’m one of the younger ones in the group!

“It’s a pity because the tea parties were very well-liked. There weren’t a lot of people involved but they always looked forward to it and enjoyed themselves.”

Raffles were held at the gatherings and all the proceeds went into a collection for the Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance. This year’s total was £100 higher than 2013’s £600.

Brian’s granddaughters are keeping the fundraising going for a little longer. Sally Hurden will be running the 10k in the Frome Half Marathon in memory of Sylvia, and Sally’s sister Fay Smith is planning a parachute jump.

The Dorset and Somerset Air Ambulance charity was chosen after a friend of Brian and Sylvia’s was involved in a light aircraft crash a number of years ago. A pilot from the Air Ambulance was scouting the area when he found the wreckage – luckily their fast actions saved the lives of those involved.

If you would like to donate to Sally’s 10k fundraising in memory of Sylvia Nicholas, you can do so at www.justgiving.com/Sally-Hurden/.