Project 7 hands out £800 to My WiSH

The annual Big Night Out, held at Melford Hall, plus a series of other fundraising events have helped to raise thousands of pounds for a raft of local organisations.

And the My WiSH Charity has benefited from the work carried out by Project 7 which runs the firework spectacular every year at Long Melford.

For a total of £800 has been handed over to the charity, which supports the West Suffolk Hospital, in Bury St Edmunds – £300 each which is earmarked for the Macmillan Unit and the dialysis centre, and £200 to the general fund of the charity.

In all a total of 50 cheques, totalling £26,000, were handed out at Project 7’s presentation night which was held at the Long Melford British Legion Social Club.

The presentations were carried out by treasurer Graham Hardy, president Andrew Hagger and newly elected chair Lisa Blyth, who is the first woman to hold the post.

They went to a host of groups and organisations including the East Anglian Air Ambulance; Lawshall Carpet Bowls; Stanstead Village Community Centre; Long Melford Cricket Club; Suffolk Family Carers; scout, beaver and guide groups in Acton, Waldingfield, Long Melford and Sudbury; Royal British Legion clubs in Sudbury and Long Melford; Hundon Hedgehog Rescue; Sudbury TiC; wildlife groups in Lackford and Acton; Steeple Bumpstead Pre School; St Nicholas Hospice Care; Brain Tumour Research, the National Trust and many others.

Mr Hagger said the money came from the Big Night Out held on November 8, last year, and 12 barbecue events they organised throughout the year.

Project 7 has also purchased a defibrillator costing £1,500 which has been located on the wall of the British Legion Social Club, in Long Melford, and has also given £400 towards another. They have also purchased display units for the Sudbury Tourist Information centre.

Mr Hagger added: “We ask the people that help us to nominate a charity they want the money to go to and we give it to them on their behalf. My WiSH Charity do a great job at the hospital and we like to see the money go to local groups. We get far greater pleasure of giving it out locally and many people in the community use the hospital in some way or another.”

He said that since Project 7 was formed back in 1982 it has raised a total of over £700,000 for local charities.

Sue Smith, head of fundraising for My WiSH, said: “These guys are just amazing. They work so hard every year to hold such fantastic events for the community and then they generously give money back to local charities. It’s always a pleasure to attend their presentation evening and humbling to see how many causes they support.”

This year’s Big Night Out is on Friday, November 13.

Pictured above at the presentation is Sue Smith, head of fundraising for My WiSH, centre, receiving the cheques from Lisa Blythe, the chairman of Project 7, left, and Andrew Hagger, president Project 7, right.