Auction marks Lockeridge charity's quarter century (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

Auction marks Lockeridge charity's quarter century

6:00pm Friday 1st March 2013 in News

Dedicated fundraisers are celebrating 25 years of jumble sales in memory of Lewis Hiscock, who died of leukaemia at eight years old.

Family and friends Vera and Colin Watts, Sue and Doug Wooton and Judy and Cliff Goodman, along with an army of volunteers, have organised the annual event in Kennet Valley Hall in Lockeridge since 1998 and have raised more than £51,000 for the charity CLIC Sargent.

Lewis, who lived in Devizes, was diagnosed with leukaemia in the late 1980s and underwent two years of treatment at Bristol Children’s Hospital.

His aunt, Mrs Watts, decided to hold a jumble sale to raise funds for CLIC Sargent, which supported the family throughout Lewis’ illness.

Mrs Watts said: “It was my brother’s son who had leukaemia and he praised CLIC for what they did for the family, so we decided to do a little fundraising to give something back and it just rolled from there.”

Lewis died in 1990 but the sale continued in his memory and has grown to include an auction, which last year included four tickets to a Manchester United game.

Sue Wooton, Mrs Watts’ cousin, said: “I think we all thought it was a one-off and then when Lewis died we thought, something needs to be done.”

Mr Goodman, who chairs the auction, said: “It’s a fun day, there’s something for everyone. If the local community have something they don’t want, they donate it to CLIC, so come the day we’re inundated.”

Every year hundreds of people turn up to the charity event, which attracts buyers from as far afield as Somerset.

Mr Wooton said: “What we’ve said every year is we won’t do it again unless we make more money and every year we’ve made more than the last.” Mrs Goodman said: “I think 25 years is an achievement and the enthusiasm is still there.”

The sale takes place on May 4 from 1.30pm at Kennet Valley Hall. Admission is 20p.