A school dinner and disco in memory of a community stalwart raised £9,500 for a cause close to her heart.
Pauline Elsworth died at home in Bedale last September aged 66. She worked tirelessly with elderly people in the area for a number of years and was a supporter of Bedale Community Meals On Wheels service, which provides hot meals three times a week to needy residents.
On Friday, May 10, her husband Martin, son Ross and wife Angela, and friend Martyn Coombs organised a school disco and dinner at Bedale Sports Club and Community Centre (BASA) in her memory.
It was attended by 81 guests dressed in their old school uniforms, while headmaster Ross, resplendent in his mortar board and gown, presided over the school dinner of mince and dumplings, carrots, peas and chips followed by jelly and ice cream.
A raffle was held with prizes including an authentic Lionel Messi football shirt that went for £850 and a signed Newcastle United shirt for £500. There were also signed items from England cricketers Joe Root and Ben Stokes and a signed drum skin from the Kaiser Chiefs, while a number of local organisations and individuals made cash donations.
Ross thanked BASA for providing the facility free of charge and volunteer bar staff, Mark Cockburn of Cockburn’s Butchers for providing the mince, Stephen Hall of Halls Fish and Chips for the chips, Froneri for the ice cream, and Jess Coombs and Valeo Confectionary for the tuck shop sweets, all free of charge. He also thanked Bedale High School for the use of the gastronomes, Diane Hosking and her staff Community Meals on Wheels staff for cooking and serving the meal.
Martin Elsworth said: "Pauline would have been so proud of what we have achieved with the charity event in her memory and I can’t thank everyone who made the whole thing possible, enough. It was such an amazing and fun evening."
John Noone, chairman of Bedale Community Meals on Wheels, said: "e originally thought a £2,000 target would make such a difference to the service we provide to Bedale and the community, so to get £9,500 is beyond our wildest dreams. We are currently under pressure to increase the £5 per two-course meal we provide three times a week because our costs continue to rise, so this windfall will help us keep the price we charge as low as possible, for as long as possible. On behalf of the Community Meals on Wheels service, I would like to say a massive thank you to everyone involved.
"This huge boost to the fiances will make all the difference going forward."
Bedale Community Meals on Wheels is a voluntary organisation which organises, cooks and delivers meals on a not-for-profit basis and can be contacted at bedalemeals@gmail.com or call 07731 893460.
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