Ex-mayor presents £6,720 to two charities

THE last mayor of Henley has presented the money she raised during her year of office to two charities.

Sarah Miller gave two cheques of £3,360 each to John Green and Anne Evans, of the Henley and Peppard branch of the Royal British Legion, and Lucy Bowley, who chairs the Henley Regatta for the Disabled, at a presentation ceremony in the town hall on Monday.

She said: “It is one of the great things about being Mayor that you get to raise this money and it’s wonderful to have the chance to present it in person to the charities. I know the hard work that these charities do.”

Councillor Miller, whose term as mayor ended in May, raised money with events including a drag karaoke night, a music video released to accompany her song Henley on Xmas and the mayor’s civic dinner, which featured a silent auction. “Just coming out of covid we couldn’t stage a lot of events,” she said.

Mr Green, president of the Legion branch, said: “The money will go to the Poppy Appeal. We are used to fundraising on our own, so it was such a nice surprise when the Mayor decided to support us.” Ms Bowley said: “We are so grateful.”

This year’s regatta will take place at Phyllis Court Club on Saturday, September 3 from 10am to 4pm.

Visitors can watch or enter a team in bell boat racing — a special boat like two Canadian canoes linked together for extra stability — and there are free trips on Rivertime, a boat adapted for wheelchairs. Two 12-seater motorboats will also be running trips all day.

The regatta has been cancelled for the last two years due to the coronavirus pandemic.