Summer fun to raise money for new minibuses

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Photo: Laura Wild

Leonard Cheshire Disability volunteers with Mayor Ali at the Honresfeld Cheshire Home in Littleborough

Families gathered at the beautiful grounds of Honresfeld Cheshire Home in Littleborough today (Sunday 22 August 2010) for a fun day out in the sunshine.

The home, on Halifax Road, is one of many under the Leonard Cheshire Disability Branch and is home to 28 people of all ages with varying disabilities.

The family fun day was set up to raise funds for two new minibuses which are vital to the people living at Honresfeld.

To have the new busses will give the disabled people at the home the chance to get out into the community and pursue the things they want to.

Children, parents, grandparents and even aunts and uncles enjoyed a fun filled afternoon browsing a variety of stalls, including a cakes, tombolas and books; there was also a bouncy castle, face painting and a bucking bronco.

Activities coordinator, Danielle Turner, said: “This is our main fundraising event throughout the year, our aim is for everybody to have fun but to also raise awareness as we are the biggest yet least known charity.”

Relatives and carers helped the people living in the home to come out into the sunshine and enjoy the day.

“It takes a lot of organising,” said Ms Turner, “But it is worth it in the end.”

“Last year we had an 800 strong crowd and we are hoping to do better than that this year as it is much bigger and there is much more on offer.

“The focus today is to get some money in the pot for the mini busses as they are coming to the end of their life.”

Amongst the guests was the Mayor of Rochdale, Councillor Zulfiqar Ali, he said: “I was very fascinated to learn about Leonard Cheshire, I was reading about him in a booklet and how the charity came about. He started many years ago and within just a few years it had become national and then international with the first overseas service being set up in India in 1956 and since then it has grown and grown, it just goes to show how people can make a difference to society.

“This place is wonderful; it is an excellent space and a beautiful building.

“It is very nice to see people out supporting this event and we should encourage more and more people to come out and support local charities.”