Charity/voluntary

CARING members of a motorbike club raised money for an animal sanctuary at their fourth anniversary bike show and party.

Doggs Bollocks MCC, who meet every Wednesday at The Breakspear Arms, in Breakspear Road South, Ruislip, have been raising money for charity for the past four years at their show.

This year Pets Corner, in Petworth Gardens, Hillingdon, was lucky enough to be the chosen charity and on October 25 the bikers presented a £500 cheque to the owner, Stan Atkin.

The club's president, Del Pratt, said the club's members had decided to raise money for the animal sanctuary and petting zoo after hearing it had been repeatedly vandalised.

Club member Peter Murrar, known as 'Fly', of Raynton Drive, Hayes, said: "This year it was my turn to chose the charity. I chose Pets Corner because it gets vandalised a lot and we are all animal lovers.

"I have just been diagnosed with a terminal illness but I will raise money for charity as long as I am still on my feet."

About 200 people attended the anniversary day, which was held at The Breakspear Arms.

The club's profit of £250 was then generously matched with a further £250 by Darren Morgan, landlord of the pub.

The club's chosen charity for next year is Help for Heroes.

For more information visit www.doggsbollocksmcc.com or contact Mr Pratt on 07889 852428.

A COFFEE morning held at a church raise money for a charity collected a superb £551.

The event, last Tuesday, at St Mary's Church in High Street, Harefield was the first of many MacMillan Coffee Morning events to take place around Hillingdon.

DRUNKEN youths throwing rubbish in the village pond have been warned their actions could result in fines and public shaming.

Bottles of Lambrini alcohol were spotted floating in the pond besides the ducks near the Village Green on Sunday morning, less than 24 hours after a major clean up had taken place.

NEARLY 900 runners plus many more spectators turned out to run the roads and countryside of Harefield.

The 28th Harefield Hospital Fun Run was a huge success with runners of all ages competing alongside numerous dog walkers.

A NURSING home is planning to raise money for the Alzheimer's Society by doing a sponsored walk.

The group, from Harefield Nursing Home, in Hill End Road, Harefield, are planning to walk from there to the Village Green.

A CHEEKY youngster after his dream job was granted a personal tour of the Harefield Dogs Trust by its CEO.

Seven year-old Charlie Knight, from Walton on Thames, contacted the CEO Clarissa Baldwin through online social networking site Facebook, to say he wanted her job.

A CARE home in the village is going Dutch- and have built an on-site restaurant to help residents and guests feel more at home.

Coppermill Care Home, in Summerhouse Lane, Harefield, is taking the lead of their Dutch manager Johan Neeskens, in applying a continental approach to make the home feel more like a community.

THERE is now less than one month to go until the annual Harefield Hospital Fun Run, and this year the Gazette are getting in on the action.

Last year over 900 fun runner raised an impressive £42,000, all of which contributed towards a state of the art MRI scanner to help give heart and lung patients the most accurate and pain-free diagnosis of their condition.

Lisa Muscutt, a former patient, said: "I had my lung transplant at Harefield Hospital in 2007 and decided to take part in the fun run last year.

"I wanted to show people what having a transplant could do to change my life and that I could do the run."

The fun run will take place on Sunday September 6, beginning at 11.30 and stalls and entertainment will be in place from 9.30am until 4pm.

A raffle will take place with fabulous prizess on offer, including a trial session in a glider.
A choice can be made between a one or a three and a half mile course through picturesque countryside which is not normally accessible to the public.

By registering in advance participants pay £7.50 for adults or £3.50 for children, and on the day fees will be £10 and £5 for children.

The entrance fee includes a T-shirt and a medal for everybody who completes the course.

The run was first organised 28 years ago, by comedy legend Eric Morecambe, who had surgery at the hospital and to date £650,000 has been raised through the fun run.
To register, or to find out more visit www.fundraising.rbht.nhs.uk or call 01895828820.

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IF YOU are not running, you can of course sponsor the Gazette's runners.

Reporter Dan Coombs, from the Gazette is running it for the first time, and former Harefield scribe Chris Longhurst is dusting off his trainers to complete the run again.

Dan will also be writing a blog on the Harefield Community section of the Gazette website about his training.

Dan says: "Its a great chance to keep fit and raise money for a great cause all at the same time.

"A family member of mine has been recently been treated at The Royal Brompton, so I know what a great job the hospital Trust does and they deserve all the support they can get.

"Feel free to let me know the best training route around the village and don't forget to donate."

To sponsor the pair, visit www.justgiving.com/gazette-challenge

THE Harefield Stroke Group celebrated their last group before the summer break with a delicious lunch.

The group met on Wednesday (22) at the Harefield Community Centre, in Priory Avenue, Harefield, and had a well attended light lunch.

Gwen Pinder, from Harvil Road, Harefield, said: "It was really lovely, we had sandwiches followed by strawberries and cream, everybody enjoyed it."

The group, which last year won a Gazette Let's Do It Award, and a £1,000 grant, will next meet in September.

THE Harefield Stroke Group celebrated their last group before the summer break with a delicious lunch.

The group met on Wednesday (22) at the Harefield Community Centre, in Priory Avenue, Harefield, and had a well attended light lunch.

Gwen Pinder, from Harvil Road, Harefield, said: "It was really lovely, we had sandwiches followed by strawberries and cream, everybody enjoyed it."

The group, which last year won a Gazette Let's Do It Award, and a £1,000 grant, will next meet in September.