Auction to boost Liam's Fund

A MASSIVE charity auction is being held on Saturday to raise money for Liam Fairhurst and CLIC Sargent.

Auctioneer David Palmer will auction off lots including a signed Chelsea shirt and a four star holiday at the Real Ale Festival in Soham on Saturday.

The auction, organised by the Soham and Staploe Rotary Club, will help to boost Liam's Fund, which is now nearing the £100,000 total that Liam set himself.

Liam's dad Mark said a karting event held at Red Lodge Karting at the weekend is thought to have raised in the region of £9,000 and could mean Liam reaches his target in the next couple of weeks.

"We had an incredible response to the event and although there is still some money to come in, we hope the final amount will be some where near £9,000 or £10,000. We just can't thank people at Red Lodge Karting. Everyone who took part in the event gave their time for nothing.

"It was superb and it's very touching when so many people are so generous. The total seems to be going up by the minuet."

28 teams took part in the event at Red Lodge Karting in Red Lodge.

Sarah Darkins who is the co-owner of the karting centre and organised the event with her business partner Nigel Carter, said: "It was a brilliant day and we are so pleased for Liam that the event so successful. We have known Liam and his family for a couple of years as he has been visiting the centre in-between treatments when he has been well enough. They are such a lovely family and Liam made such as great impression on us that we wanted to do something to help.

"Everyone who helped out on the day gave up their time for nothing, which is why we were able to make such huge sum of money."

The following people helped to make the event successful: Mick French, Brian Fisher, Nigel Freeman, Vince McNeil, Laine Beckett, Rita and Gordon Carter, Vernon Clarke, Sarah Freeman, Kate Stevenson, Richard Tubby, Ian Gillett, Charlie Smart, Sharon French, Daphne Freeman, Claire Hagger, Alan Ebbs, Pauline Marshall and Karen Roberts.

The Ely Standard launched its year-long fund-raising campaign Liam's Fund last month to support Liam Fairhurst who is trying to raise £100,000 for the children's cancer charity CLIC Sargent.

The 12-year-old decided to raise money for CLIC last August when his friend, Jack Wilkinson, also aged 12, died from the disease. The pair met at Addenbrook's Hospital in Cambridge when Liam was receiving treatment for a cancerous growth in his leg. Sadly, Liam's cancer returned at the start of this year, but he is making a good recovery and his dad Mark told us that Liam has recently returned to school on a part-time basis.

"Liam is back at school, although he is not doing full days at the moment," said Mark.

"We really have to take one day at a time and he does as much as he feels able to, but he has gone back much sooner than we thought he would."

n The Real Ale Festival takes place at The Pavilion on the Rec in Soham, from 2pm until 10pm.Entertainment includes an all-day barbecue and there will be a wide range of beers, lager and soft drinks available. All proceeds of the beer festival itself will go to the Soham scouts and guides, but the money raised at the auction is for Liam.

INFO: If you want to help Liam Fairhurst reach his £100,000 target, contact Debbie Davies on 01353 667831 or email: debbie.davies@archant.co.uk

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP?

* Make a donation to Liam's Fund. Make cheques payable to CLIC Sargent, but send them to the Ely Standard at 38 Market Street, Ely, Cambs, CB7 4LS.

* Organise a fund-raising event at your workplace, club, school, or organisation. Let us know what you want to do and we can help with some publicity. Also, when you are ready to hand over the cheque we will send our photographer along and publish the photograph in the paper.

* Send Liam a message. Go on to our website at: www.ely-standard.co.uk and click on the box at the top of the home page that says 'leave your message here'.