80s themed disco helps to raise funds for the maternity unit

People came along dressed as their idols from Freddie Mercury to Madonna and Adam Ant to Abba at a special 1980s themed fundraising event at Pakenham Village Hall.

It was organised by friends Victoria Dale and Clare Speare with a total of £840 being raised for the My WiSH Charity with the money directed towards the maternity unit at the West Suffolk Hospital, in Bury St Edmunds.

It will be used to purchase dopplers to listen to babies’ heart beat during labour.

Both Victoria, who is a midwife, and Clare, a maternity ward clerk, work at the hospital, and decided to arrange the event after staging a similar project to raise money for village funds and now want to make it an annual event

“We were really, really pleased with the amount of money we raised as we did not think we would get that much,” said Victoria.

And she said that 75 people attended and came dressed up in a number of different characters.

They raised £140 from ticket sales plus a “Play Your Cards Right” game and a raffle for a three-hour speed boat trip from Lowestoft.

“The maternity unit at the hospital is set to be refurbished soon so we were keen to help out,” said Victoria. “And because of its success we now want to make it a yearly thing.

“It was totally sold out and we had some people come along in brilliant costumes.”

Pictured above are Victoria Dale and Clare Speare handing over their cheque for £840 to staff on the maternity unit at the West Suffolk Hospital, Lynne Saunders, head of midwifery and staff members  Leanne Barton, Hayley McBride, and Karen Green.