The Grand Auction followed the Annual Public Meeting at the Gregson on 22nd April.

It was notable for two things:

a) The poor attendance despite the very extensive publicity with leafletting of the whole area, a poster campaign and emailing and Facebook contact with our supporters.

b) The enthusiasm and good humour of all those who did attend, which turned the event into a great success!

Our Auctioneer for the afternoon Paul Wiggins, quickly showed talents as a stand up comedian and had the audience collapsing with laughter. No item in the auction escaped his attention and he painted many memorable word pictures to persuade people that now they had bought a bicycle or perhaps a Djaballa, the next thing they needed was a bottle of Scotch!

Due to the generosity of the donors, and the enthusiasm of the bidders, almost all items were sold and over £400 was raised for the Friends’ funds. One or two items were held back from the sale as they are believed to be of significant value and these will be sold on-line if possible to maximise the benefits to the Friends of Miss Whalley’s Field.

The money raised will be used initially to put up a proper noticeboard on the field. This must meet Council specifications and is likely to consume a significant part of the money, but it is considered essential to communicate with all the people who use the field on a daily basis and have a direct interest in its protection.

Organising such events takes time and effort and The Friends are always looking for local support. If you would like to help, please contact Margaret Wiggins on marg.wig@gmx.co.uk .