Louth Fatstock Show gives cash to good causes

Two cheques, each worth £1154.07, were presented by Fatstock Show committee chairman Richard Crust to Macmillan Cancer Support and the Lincolnshire Rural Support Network (LRSN) at the Cattle Market last week.

Fundraising volunteer Ingrid Ashton, who received one of the cheques on behalf of Macmillan, said the funds are ringfenced to support people in Lincolnshire.

Ingrid said: “Macmillan don’t just provide nurses. They provided loans and advice to help people living with cancer.

“It’s a really broad service, but people don’t always realise that.

“Our local branch usually raises about £9,000 a year, so this is a really big boost.

“I’d like to say a really big thank you to everyone at the Cattle Market for supporting us.”

Macmillan’s next local fundraising event will be on Sunday March 1, when they will be holding a ‘Mammoth Quiz’ at The Brown Cow pub which will include food. Call 01507 605146 to book your place.

The other cheque was presented to Heather Dawes (nurse) and Gilly Steel (health and wellbeing lead) from the LRSN, who described the donation as a “tremendous amount of money” which would continue to fund the office space, staff wages and equipment required to support the local farming community in Lincolnshire.

Gilly said: “Mental health is particularly important, especially with people in the farming community often living quite isolated lives. Any kind of stress or worry, we can help them through it.

“It’s a really tough time for farmers at the minute, with many feeling increasingly stressed and worried about the future now that Brexit has happened - not to mention the weather and flooding.”

Heather added: “A massive thank you to the farmers and Fatstock Show organisers for their generosity. It is an amazing amount, especially in these hard times.”