A business networking club in Bournemouth has raised £1,500 to help families affected by life-threatening illnesses.
The BC Club, set up in 2008 by local business men from Bournemouth, Poole and Southampton, has donated £500 to Round Table Children’s Wish to help grant wishes for children with life-threatening illnesses, £500 to The Richie Keefe Life and Soul Trust to support bereaved families and £500 to Youth Cancer Trust to help fund holidays for teenagers and young people with cancer.
The Club founder Steve Wells, of Dave Wells Properties, said: “As fathers and businessmen we understand how fortunate we are and we wanted to support local charities which help families through difficult times.”
The group, which includes representatives of Charles Trent, Mayflower Interiors, Birds Hill Nursing Home, Delicious Dining, LPS Builders and TP Sherwood Landscaping, raise funds through games and donations and fines for swearing or using a mobile phone.
Their last event took place at Banana Wharf restaurant (part of the Delicious Dining group) on Poole Quay and the restaurant donated 15 per cent of the total bill back to the charity collection.
Steve added: “BC Club was founded to give businessmen from the region the chance to network and enjoy a good day or evening out. We meet four times a year, have more than 30 members and raised more than £3,000 in 2011 for good causes.”
Money raised for the Richie Keefe Life and Soul Trust will help fund a car to give extra freedom to a father who gave up work to look after his two young children after his wife lost her battle against cancer.
Nicky Thompson of Bournemouth-based Round Table Children’s Wish said: “We’re incredibly grateful to the BC Club for its ongoing support and generosity.”
