Developer gives £500 to RNLI

A DONATION of £500 has been made to the Henley branch of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution.

The group’s 40th annual car boot sale was due to be held at Swiss Farm in August but had to be cancelled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Developer McCarthy & Stone, which built the Albert Court retirement homes in Reading Road, contacted branch chairman Norman Daniells with an offer of help.

Mr Daniells, who has been a member for 47 years and chairman since 2002, said: “This is a year like no other and we were all very disappointed to have to cancel our annual car boot sale.

“It was particularly tough as this would have been our 40th event and we were all looking forward to reaching such a big milestone.

“We’ve also had to scale our other fundraising activities right back as safety has to be our first priority.

“We used to be able to raise significant sums each year from the likes of dinner dances and even supermarket collections but, of course, that’s not possible right now.

“We’re grateful to McCarthy & Stone for its donation, which will be used to help support the invaluable work that the RNLI does.

“We’re staying positive and are hopeful that we can hold the sale in 2021 and to continue our work as an active fundraising branch.”