Good fun in aid of a good cause

The Swindon Old Town Rotary Club came up with a calendar of money-spinning ideas to reach the grand total of £10,000 for the Swindon Cancer Appeal.

Earlier, 18 teams battled it out for golfing supremacy at the Wiltshire Golf Club.

The keen golfers raised an above-par £1,500.

Mike Dunn, president of the Rotary Club, was delighted with the turn out.

"I am very pleased the day went so well," he said. "The weather certainly helped."

Rugby fans were delighted to hear tales exploits on and off the pitch at the annual sporting dinner in March.

Former British Lion and Welsh international John Taylor entertained diners at the black-tie event at Blunsdon House Hotel, where more than £4,500 was raised.

Mr Taylor, who led ITV's commentary team at last year's Rugby World Cup in Australia, regaled guests with tales from the commentary box and beyond.

In May, members tantalised their taste buds with a curry feast at the Haweli restaurant in Victoria Road, Old Town.

About 50 people went along to the restaurant for the buffet and a total of £260 was raised for the appeal.

Also that month the River Ray, in Rushey Platt, was crammed with ducks for the annual duck race.

Hundreds turned out for the race which involved 4,562 plastic ducks.

Kim Jones, 30, from Old Town, took her children, six-year-old Lizzy and Thomas, four, to watch.

Mrs Jones wanted to support the event because her mother, Patricia, died of cancer, aged 52, last September.

She said: "The support from Macmillan nurses was brilliant. They always had a spare minute for you and this is a way of saying thank you."

A further £3,000 was raised at a race night held at the Nationwide headquarters in Pipers Way last November.

Rotary member David Jackson said it was a memorable night. "It was good fun," he said. "The whole club rallied around."

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Bhavani Vadde