Sweet smell of success for fundraisers (From Gazette & Herald)

Sweet smell of success for fundraisers

A SWEET fundraising idea proved popular at a Malton nursery, where £530 was raised for victims of the tsunami appeal.

Smarties were distributed to children at House Martins day nursery on St Michael's Street and, once the children had eaten them, they were asked to take them home and fill them with money.

"We wanted to try and bring it home to the children that we are so fortunate here, that they had Smarties to eat, and if they could fill them with money they could help children who had lost parents, brothers, sisters and grandparents, to get a roof over their head - things we just take for granted," said owner Marsha Turnbull.

There are 69 children attending the nursery, aged from six months to four-and-a-half years.

"I think the older ones did understand and were keen to help the children," said Marsha.

"We showed then some photographs in the newspapers and they asked questions about it all.

"The response was fantastic from parents, grandparents and friends, hopefully £530 can achieve a lot."

Fundraising for the appeal is continuing across the rest of Ryedale.

The Ryedale District Young Farmers raised £142.69 at the Mr and Miss YFC competition at Malton Rugby Club last month.

The MKM Building Supplies company, which has branches in Malton, Scarborough and York, has donated £10,000 to Save the Children's tsunami appeal.

Children at Norton community Primary School thought up inventive ways to raise cash for the tsunami.

They held a jungle drawing competition, a drawing quiz, a guitar concert, a dance display and a cake stall, and raised a grand total of £550.

A charity night held at the Bright Steels Club raised £400 for the tsunami appeal.

Debbie Abbey would like to thank everyone who helped, as well as the shops which donated raffle prizes for the event.

A massive £2,937.20 was raised on January 7 and 8 in Malton during a joint collection by the Malton Soroptimists, Malton Rotary, Malton Roundtable and Malton Lions.

The groups thanked everyone in Ryedale who helped make the collection for the tsunami appeal such a success, including the collectors who braved the cold and stormy weather last month.

Updated: 15:02 Wednesday, February 09, 2005