Morris dancers fundraise for children’s charity to move to larger space

HURST: A children’s charity is launching a fundraising drive in a bid to help more children in poverty as it celebrates its seventh birthday, writes Jade Kidd.

First Days Children’s Charity, founded by Emma Cantrell, will use the money for a larger building with more space for storage.

Helpers include Hurst Morris People (HuMP), which visited the charity last week as part of its pledge to make First Days, based in Broadwater Lane, its annual charity.

The group will fundraise at its barn dance on Saturday March 14, as well as at other events.

Emma, who is chief executive at the charity, has vowed to run 2020km this year to raise £20,000 for the cause.

She said: “We work tirelessly at First Days to reduce the effect of poverty on children and we’re very grateful for HuMP’s support. We want to be able to help many, many more children who so desperately need our support.”

Annette Honeyball, First Days fundraiser, added:

“There are 43,000 children living in poverty in Berkshire

“We help over 2,000 a year but there’s a lot more we could do.

“In Wokingham and Henley 17 per cent of children live in poverty.

“In Windsor and Maidenhead it’s 23 per cent, Reading 31 per cent, Bracknell Forest 20 per cent, Slough 39 per cent.

“We’re fundraising so we can have a larger building with more storage space.

“At present we don’t have space for everything that families need. The need is so high.”

The charity, which posts donations it needs on its Facebook page, is in need of items including toys, school uniforms without school names, and clothes in a good condition.

Tickets for the barn dance, which costs £7.50 with under 12s going free, can be obtained by emailing thebrants@aol.com.

For more details visit: www.hump.org.uk

To contact First Days Children’s Charity visit www.firstdays.net

Dancers from Hurst Morris People with staff at First Days Children's Charity. Credit: Sue Corcoran