SEVEN good causes around the town are celebrating after an online auction raised more than £10,800 for them.

The Rotary Club of Swindon had to host its annual fundraiser virtually because of the pandemic but that didn’t stop bids from flooding in.

The auction lot sales along with other donations that took the total beyond £11,000 will be shared between Brighter Futures, the Swindon Domestic Abuse Support Service, Swindon Open Door Centre, Kids Out, End Polio Now, Edu Fun SA, and Action Through Enterprise. A tenth of the money raised will go to other Rotary charities.

Rotary Club president Debbie Vincent said: “Thank you to everyone who has made this possible. That is a magnificent sum for our charities.

“We are delighted with the result and would like to thank everyone who donated and bid for the wonderful lots. We’d like to acknowledge the people who have made valuable contributions behind the scenes.”

Brighter Futures will use the money to enhance care at Great Western Hospital with a focus on helping patients and staff in the emergency department.

Associate director of fundraising Catherine Newman said: “We are so grateful to the Rotary Club of Swindon and everyone who took part in the online auction.

“In a year of unprecedented challenges for the NHS, we have been overwhelmed by the support from our local community.”

The domestic abuse support service was thankful that the club decided to support it and applauded the amount raised.

Chief executive Emma Rawlings said: “These have been very challenging times for us with a significant increase in demand for our services.

“With our shop shut and all fundraising activities cancelled, the monies you have given us this year have helped us enormously to continue to support victims of domestic abuse and their families in Swindon.”

The Open Door Centre were similarly grateful and will use the money to keep helping its clients for “at least a while longer”.

Manager Pat Winning added: “Thank you. The pandemic has curtailed our ability to fund raise. But despite this, the centre has maintained regular contact with its members, checking their well-being and providing an on wheels meal service to those who need it.”

Kids Out’s share of the funds will provide children in refuge with new toys to support their mental health. Each box will contain over £80 of toys and games designed to promote social and educational development and family bonding, so that each child has something to open on Christmas morning.

Ambassador John Smith said: “This donation to the Rotary Christmas toy boxes will make the world a little kinder. Keep up the good work.”

Rotary Swindon’s End Polio Now champion Peter Wells explained that the Rotary is close to reaching its goal of eradicating the disease after 35 years of international efforts.

Since 1985, the Rotary and Rotarians have delivered more than a billion vaccinations to vulnerable children and adults, preventing millions of deaths and lifetimes of paralysing and painful consequences.

Each year, one million Rotarians volunteer their time and resources to end polio by building awareness, raising funds, delivering vaccinations and encouraging national governments to donate to and support the eradication effort.

Mr Wells added: “Rotary looks far and wide to do good, in our own communities and worldwide. Polio remains a diminishing but real threat which our share of this year’s funding effort will go towards ending once and for all. Thank you to everyone who has helped us.”

The club has supported Edu Fun South Africa’s voluntary work at Diepsloot Combined School in South Africa for several years.

Chair Jenny Taylor said: “This latest donation will help consolidate all the educational projects we are involved with in one of Johannesburg’s most disadvantaged communities.

“We’d like to send a very big thank you to the club’s members and all those who contributed to this hugely successful fundraiser.”

Action Through Enterprise has worked in the Ghana town of Lawra throughout the pandemic to ensure that adults and children are safe, and that they have food to eat.

The charity’s work is usually focused on sustainable long-term change, but during the crisis, this shifted to focus more on the short-term needs of hunger and survival.

Chief executive Sarah Gardner said “I am extremely grateful for this generous donation, which comes at a challenging time for us all.

“2020 has been difficult for people all over the world, particularly those who already lived in poverty.

“As we begin to move out of lockdowns in Ghana, ATE is best placed to help the people of Lawra recover, and are doing just that with a focus on getting children back to school, supporting businesses to recover, and enabling mothers of disabled children to repair their damaged livelihoods.

“This donation will be used to rebuild Lawra. Thank you so much to everyone involved, your generosity will make a real difference.”