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THOUSANDS of pounds raised at the Specsavers Winter Wonderland is already making a positive difference to the local community.
A record £17,000 was raised at the 2019 event - more than double raised the previous year for the two charities.
It comes as the date for this year’s Specsavers Winter Wonderland has been set for Tuesday 8 December 2020.
It was the first time the company had partnered with the Lions Club of Guernsey and the Cancer Research UK Guernsey branch to host the annual spectacle which saw around 3,500 people attend.
All funds raised have been split evenly between the two charities and Rob Holder, president of the Lions Club of Guernsey, said some of the money had already been used to fund an event for senior citizens.
‘We put on a dinner at the Peninsula Hotel for 120 people which, without the funds from Winter Wonderland, we would not have been able to do,’ he said. ‘The dinner was for anyone who is living alone and could do with getting out to meet others.
‘It is great to see the funds already making such a positive difference within the local community.’
Chair of the Cancer Research UK Guernsey branch, Bryan Lean, added: ‘Last year CRUK spent £7m. on cancer research in Southampton helping to improve the outcomes for patients with cancer. Survival rates have doubled in the last 40 years due to this invaluable research and we expect this to improve further with the generosity of your donations for which we are extremely grateful. Together we will beat cancer.’
A pony petting area as well as a Christmas Elf trail with doors kindly made by Iris and Dora were just some of the new elements to the event. A Christmas-themed marquee, sponsored by Skipton International, was also filled with a variety of stalls, including hot food and drinks and stands from Iris and Dora, Mazzouk and The Waffle & Co. Guernsey Electricity also supplied generators throughout the evening to help power all the lights.
Dame Mary Perkins said: ‘It was great to see so many families come along and get into the Christmas spirit while also helping to raise money for two fantastic charities. Specsavers has been a proud member of the Guernsey community for 35 years, so we were delighted to be able to add some extra festive sparkle.’
Keep an eye out on the Specsavers Winter Wonderland Facebook page for exciting updates later this year as well as the launch of a new website for the event.
