For the last ten years, the Swan have held a pre-Christmas Auction to raise money for local and national charities and, despite the economic climate, the customers dug deep on Sunday 15th December to come up with a record total of £3500 which has been shared equally by The North Staffs Prostate Support Group and Bliss, the national charity that helps care for premature and sick babies.
That said, the auction lots were by no means shabby! This year’s star lot was a week’s holiday in a villa kindly donated by Dave & Lisa Russell which realised an impressive £800. Local artists Rita Banks and Hilary Jeffries Bransom kindly offered some cherished works that were among some 10 originals up for auction. Plenty of other local businesses formed an orderly queue to offer lots – from bottles of wine, meals, beauty and therapy treatments, two separate daytrips for a family on anarrowboat, or somewhat less serene helicopter flights over Stone at the Festival.
Thanks one and all who turned up – especially to those who won a lot, a thanks goes out to all the businesses whose donations made the event the success it was – and a big thank you of course to MC & Auctionerr Collin Taylor who “accidentally” helped start the first auction and the rest, as they say, is history.
The bar has been raised … so here’s to the next one in December – it’s going to be a tough act for Geoff & Helen to follow, but what’s the betting that 2014’s Auction outsells 2013!
