Brighter Futures “wins” one-and-a-half grand at the Rotary Stakes

We went to the races in March. It was a meeting with 10 races, 8 riders in each. It wasn’t at Epsom, or Haydock Park, or just up the M4 at Newbury. It was, of all places, in Wanborough Village Hall.


Just like all race meetings not many of the 70 punters who came made a profit.  No matter, they didn’t mind, as the object of the exercise was to raise money for a good cause. 

And, of course, the races were on a large TV screen.

After a couple of races fish and chips were served.  Not just any fish and chips, not even M&S fish and chips, but fish and chips from the Bakers Arms in Badbury.  It’s said they serve the best fish and chips for miles around.

It was a fun evening raising funds for a very worthwhile appeal, the Brighter Futures appeal for Cancer Services.  In one way or another Cancer affects one in two of the population and we are united in a determination to beat it.

We’ve done these race nights before but this one was the best attended for a long time.  Apart from the Tote there were other little ruses such as a raffle and a well-stocked bar to persuade the punters to dig even deeper into their pockets.

The event raised £1,500 and Catherine Newman of Brighter Futures came to our Rotary meeting this week [20th May] to accept the cheque.  She gave us an update on the situation of the new radiotherapy unit at the Great Western Hospital.  All the consents and funds are now in place and the building work will start soon.  They are planning a “spade event” when it commences and all those who played a part in achieving the £2.9m target will be invited.  Between them the Swindon Rotary Clubs were responsible for contributing one-third of the £2.9m.

Radiotherapy Appeal celebrates reaching the £2.9m target

The next Race Night on Screen will be in the Spring of 2020

Click here to go to the 2019 Race Night on Screen page

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