Rotary Club of Pangbourne

CEREMONIAL cheques for £1,800 have been presented to the two principal beneficiary charities for our successful dragon boat event in June.

Larry Grady, chief executive of the Purley Park Trust, thanked Pangbourne Rotary and said the funds would go towards the unfunded daily drop-in centre and also to provide extras on residents’ events and trips.

Erica Gassor, trustee and lead befriender of West Berkshire Homeless, said their donation, which had already been put into action, would support 100 homeless people with food and other vouchers.

The rest of the money raised from the event went to the club’s own charitable trust, which makes donations to worthy causes throughout the year. The total sum raised on the day was £6,000.

The event saw 12 crews compete in great weather. They included four new entrants (Dingley’s Promise and three teams from the Royal Berkshire Hospital Charitable Trust’s ICU, emergency medicine and radiology departments).

The RBH trophy was won by the ICU, which finished third overall.

Tony Eldridge, who organised this year’s event, said in the 25 years of the dragon boats, an estimated £250,000 had been raised for charity from the proceeds of the event and also from the crews’ own sponsorship efforts.

One charity who entered a crew this year has raised more than £2,500 so far.

For more information about the event and how to sponsor the teams who have taken part and the charities, email toneld55@gmail.com and membership@pangbourne
rotary.org.uk

Brian Davies