Auctioneers raise over £6k for Ukraine

AUCTIONEERS in Cornwall have raised over £6,000 to support humanitarian efforts in Ukraine following a hugely successful online auction.

Lodge & Thomas, which runs Truro Livestock Market, launched the week-long virtual fundraiser earlier this year to help those affected by the crisis, with all of the proceeds going to the Helstonbased international disaster relief charity, ShelterBox.

Running from March 19 to 26, the auction received over 110 lots that had been kindly donated by businesses and individuals. These included a three-night break at any of the Duchy of Cornwall’s two-bedroom holiday cottages located in Cornwall for up to four people and two return flights from Land’s End Airport to the Isles of Scilly, down to smaller items such as a James Kittow Butcher & Grazier meat box and two season tickets for 2022 to Trewidden Garden, near Penzance.

Contributions also came from outside the online auction as funds from sheep sold at Lodge & Thomas’ weekly livestock market, along with a sculpture sold at Truro Sale Room, were added to the impressive final total of £6,626.

A spokesperson for Lodge & Thomas said: “This amount would not have been reached without the kind donations from our local businesses and hard work from the team at Lodge & Thomas, showing the strong community spirit that thrives in our county.”

Accepting the cheque from Lodge & Thomas at a presentation event last week, John Stanbury and JP Dodwell, from ShelterBox, said the proceeds from the online auction would be used to distribute life-saving aid to families within Ukraine, and to those fleeing across the border into nearby countries like Moldova. Any extra money raised will help ShelterBox provide emergency shelter to those affected by disaster around the world.

“We are extremely grateful to everyone who supported the Lodge & Thomas charity auction,” Mr Stanbury said. “The range of items radiated goodwill and represented an incredible community coming together to help another in need.

“Events like this help us to provide emergency aid to people in Ukraine and around the world who have had to flee their homes, or had them damaged or destroyed because of conflict or disaster.”