MONEY raised at a black tie ball has been presented to the Forever

Friends Appeal, the fundraising charity for Bath’s Royal United Hospital (RUH).

A cheque for £29,000 was presented to the Appeal for the pioneering new Cancer Centre which will provide state-of-the-art cancer treatment to thousands of patients treated at the RUH.

The Beckington Ball is a biennial event held near Frome. It aims to bring local businesses together, large and small to raise funds for good causes. The Beckington Ball Committee includes Chris Weare, Ang Allen and Dan Gulliford, as well as other volunteers who organise the event. Tickets for the 2017 ball sold out within 24 hours.

Chris Weare said: “The event was an overwhelming success and I’d like to say a huge thank you to everyone who came on the night and showed their support. We raised funds in a number of different ways; from sponsoring tables to donating prizes for the raffle draw, the generosity just kept coming. We also had an auction of promises with prizes ranging from day trips to local experience events.

“I’d also like to thank Justin Thorner and the team at Wainwrights for being our lead sponsor and showing their support and to the Appeal’s Warminster and District RUH Fundraising Group for their help. It was a heart-warming event and wonderful to see people’s response to supporting such a worthy local cause.”

Claudia Hickin, senior community fundraiser for the Forever Friends Appeal said: “We are completely overwhelmed by the generosity and would like to thank the Beckington Ball

committee for donating the funds towards our Cancer Care campaign.

“In recognition for fundraising over £50,000 in two years, the Beckington Ball Committee are Principal Community Partners of The Forever Friends Appeal, meaning they will have a naming opportunity for one of the specialist areas or departments within the new Cancer Centre.”

Through support from the public and major donations, the Forever Friends Appeal continues its Cancer Care campaign, hoping to generate over £9m towards the building. To make a donation or find out about the new Cancer Centre visit: www.foreverfriendsappeal.co.uk/ruhcancercentre.