BAILDON Belles have raised more than £10,000 for a charity helping children and families who are living in poverty.
At the WI group’s first meeting of the year, members presented a cheque for £10,558 - the culmination of two years of fundraising - for their chosen charity, Zarach.
The money was raised from events including a tea tent at Baildon Carnival, bake stalls at Baildon Farmers Market, the Boating Belles who came third at Bradford Dragon Boat festival, monthly raffles, and the Belles’ first time hosting Baildon Scarecrow Festival.
A representative from Zarach was at the meeting to give a talk on the charity’s work, and showed a sample bed bundle. Each child helped by the charity receives a new bed and mattress and new duvet, bedding, pyjamas, toiletries, Zed Ted book, and a hand-knitted bear.
Baildon Belles Charity Officer Sally Illingworth told the charity: “We have really enjoyed raising money for Zarach and we wish you even more success with the charity and funding for the new hubs you are creating - it’s fabulous, much needed work and we are very grateful for everything you and the team are doing to try to alleviate bed poverty.”
The Baildon Belles be choosing a new charity at their annual meeting in March and will be running the scarecrow festival again next year, as well as fundraising events throughout 2024. Meetings are the last Thursday of each month at St John’s Church Hall, Baildon, 7.30pm.
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