Stratford lunch club reaches £140,000 after latest donation

Stratford's Sunday Lunch Club, entering its 10th year, has raised about £140,000 for local causes after donating £7,500 to the Shakespeare Hospice.

Stratford's Sunday Lunch Club is entering its tenth year after a decade of fundraising across south Warwickshire. The group recently donated £7,500 to the Shakespeare Hospice, bringing its total raised to about £140,000. Founded by Jo Wheelwright-Horne, the club has supported a range of local charities and community projects. The lunches offer people the chance to meet, socialise and raise funds together. What we know: - The club has raised around £140,000 in total to date. - A donation of £7,500 was made to the Shakespeare Hospice on 12 January. - The group was founded by Jo Wheelwright-Horne and has supported charities including Avon Cat Rescue, the Air Ambulance, Mind, Myton Hospice and Molly Olly's. - Funds have also supported the Rigby cancer unit at Stratford Hospital and paid for six defibrillators installed in Stratford. - This year's named charities are Stepping Stones, Little Bird Baby Bank and Shipston Home Nursing, and the club will continue to support Stratford Foodbank. - To mark its 10th year, the club has scheduled more events, including a lunch at the Embankment on 1 March and a garden party with jazz at Hotel Du Vin on 26 July. Summary: The club's fundraising has provided financial support to health, welfare and animal charities and funded practical local equipment such as defibrillators. For its 10th year the group has planned additional social events and will continue supporting its named charities, while keeping its regular lunches as a social and fundraising activity.