Woodlanders’ helping hand

THE Woodlanders’ Music Hall Company handed out the proceeds of their autumn show to local charities on Monday last week.

Chairman Sandra Gaisford said, “The prime purpose of the Music Hall has always been to raise funds for local good causes, while having a jolly good time. This year marks forty years of performing here in the Woodlands Hippodrome. In that time, we estimate we have raised over £150,000.”

The good causes befitting from the Woodlanders’ efforts were:

• Open Story Tellers, to fund a new film club;

• POD, to help set up a new venture for 18-30 year olds with learning disabilities;

• The Society of Disabled Artists (SODA), to go towards art materials;

• Kingdown School, to support Jessica Ryall as part of a trip to Romania to carry out humanitarian projects as part of People for Poverty;

• Mendip Community Transport, for running costs;

• Somerset Sight, for running costs; and

• the Woodlands Village Hall.

Receiving a cheque for £1,000 Christine Carpenter, chairman of the Village Hall Committee, and a Woodlander herself, said “This will go towards our fund for purchasing this hall. We are aiming to raise £250,000 to secure this hall for the community, and Woodlanders are an integral part of its story.”