Great Dunmow Carnival bucket collection cash handed over to Macmillan Cancer Support

BUCKETS of coins collected at this year s Great Dunmow Carnival have been counted and the result has delighted procession organisers. In total �1000 pounds was raised, and at Foakes Hall on Thursday a cheque was handed to Steve Gowers, one of the co

HEAVY buckets of coins collected at this year's Great Dunmow Carnival have been counted and the result has delighted procession organisers.

In total �1000 pounds was raised, and at Foakes Hall on Thursday a cheque was handed to Steve Gowers, one of the collectors for the Macmillan Nurses fundraising team from Chelmsford.

He said: "This is a lot of money to us and we are delighted with the collection. It can go towards many things - for example, funding our essential care line for people for at least nine days."

Procession committee chairman, Keith Wheatcroft, handed over the cash. He said: "We know it is not a fortune but it is really good to know that it will go to someone who really needs it."

The coins took over five hours to count after being deposited into buckets by the public during the procession stage of the carnival back in mid-September.

Collectors said it was noticeable that people were putting in much lower value coins this year compared to last but the final count was roughly the same.

Pictured, is Team Yellow, from left, Valerie Wheatcroft, Linda Herring, Keith Wheatcroft, Ron Clover and Jan Moller, with Macmillan Nurses fundraising collector Steve Gowers (green t-shirt) NT_261109_Carnival collection