Promises Auction 12 March 2004
An extremely successful and enjoyable evening in the Village Hall raised £4,442 towards improving facilities for the disabled in the village.
96
lots were generously donated by residents and over 100 people at the auction
were encouraged by Mark Robinson, who again proved to be a very capable
Auctioneer, to bid huge amounts.The lots on offer covered a wide range, from personal services (cooking, gardening, ironing, plant watering, dog walking, computer tuition, car valeting), to experiences (the chance to drive sports and luxury cars, visits to magistrates courts, a round of golf), to holidays in caravans and cottages and cakes, pies, logs and tons of manure! Even help with tax returns and accounting problems was available.
The holidays were especially popular and a weeks stay in a cottage in the Lake District raised £230. As with several lots, the owner of the cottage generously added another week to the auction and a similar amount was raised for the second week.
In
another lot, a 20 mile drive (as a passenger) in a Jaguar XK140 first
became a 40 mile drive and then, when a bidder was well and truly hooked,
became 40 miles as driver, provided the bid was doubled.
Mark couldn't resist and the auctioneer knocked it down to himself.Sue Spriggs came up with the idea of the auction and she was helped by many others with administration and providing refreshments during the evening. Many people also donated food and drink and the food left over was also auctioned and raised a further £78!
The proceeds of the auction will be split equally between St Peter's Church (towards the cost of a hearing loop)and to the Baptist Chapel and Village Hall (for improved access and toilet facilities for the disabled).