STAR EFFORT: A unique Christmas tribute has generated a £1,000 for good causes in the St Neots area.
People were able to place a personalised message to their late loved ones on the St Neots town Christmas tree through the Star For A Star initiative run by Anglia Co-operative Funerals.
The Huntingdon Street funeral home launched the fundraising scheme in 2010 – and the Christmas 2012 tributes raised £561 for Mayor of St Neots, Councillor Barry Chapman’s charity fund. This was matched by the ACCF (Anglia Co-operative Community Fund), enabling funeral director Darren Barker to present a cheque for £1,122 to Cllr Chapman.
His fund this year is supporting St John’s Hospice at Moggerhanger, St Neots Coffee Pot Memory Café and St Neots Air Cadets.
Cllr Chapman said: “Star For A Star is a wonderful idea. It enables people to remember their loved ones at a special time of the year and it helps to raise a significant sum of money for local causes. It was extremely generous of the ACCF to match the money raised at Christmas. I hope to have raised around £9,000 with my fund this year when my term of office ends in May – over the two years my fund will have raised about £20,000, with a significant contribution coming from Star For A Star.”
The three causes will receive an equal share from the Mayor’s fund in May.
Pictured: Funeral director Darren Barker presents the £1,122 cheque to Mayor of St Neots Cllr Barry Chapman.
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