Charity/voluntary

A MOTHER and daughter are preparing for a journey of a lifetime to Uganda for three weeks this summer.

Annie and Eliza Burnham members of St Pauls Church in Addlestone will be travelling to the African third world country in July with Help for Uganda a local charity started by

Thisyear's poppy appeal looks set to be the most successful yet, despite the thefts of more than 30 collection tins across Surrey.

The Royal British Legion has already raised £524,428 through the sale of poppies and other items including poppy brooches and crosses, and is well on its way to reaching its target amount of £1 million by November next year.

But the totals could have been higher if thieves had not targeted 35 money collection tins across the county, each of which had unknown amounts of money in from charitable members of the public.

A variety of spooky Halloween events will be running at an Addlestone farm over this weekend.

On Thursday October 29, Friday 30 and Saturday 31, there will be face painting, a scavenger hunt, pumpkin carving and apple bobbing at Crockford Bridge Farm, New Haw Road.

The scavenger hunt costs £1 and face painting £2. Anyone interested in pumpkin carving only needs to buy a pumpkin.

The event is to raise money for Shooting Star Children's Hospice.

For more information, call the farm shop on 01932 852 630.

A new scheme is being trialled by Age Concern in partnership with Ashford and St Peter's Hospitals.

The 'courtesy call' service is for frail and older people who are being discharged from hospital and may need information, advice or help to live independently at home.

Hospital staff will refer patients by phoning the service on the day the patient is allowed home, or by giving the patient a booklet of information.

A spokeswoman for Age Concern said: "This new service has been going for a few weeks and has already ensured that many older people have been discharged home with the support they need.

"The relevant Age Concern branch will contact the patient within 48 hours to discuss their needs, provide information, and suggest services or a home visit."

One such service, the Road to Recovery scheme operated in Spelthorne, provides free help for six weeks with chores such as housework and shopping as well as accompanying clients to appointments, while they recover.

For more information, contact either Age Concern Runnymede on 02932 566 040 or Age Concern Spelthorne on 01784 444 200

Tickets have now gone on sale for the annual White Lodge Centre fundraiser, Chesney's Christmas Cracker.

Nineties pop star and patron of the charity, Chesney Hawkes, will be hosting the fourth cracker at Club One in Ascot on Sunday December 13.

The line-up has yet to be announced, but previous years have seen Jason Donovan and Nik Kershaw performing to raise money for the centre in Holloway Hill Chertsey.

For more information or to book tickets, visit www.whitelodgecentre.co.uk

A Picasso print worth £5,000 is up for grabs in a raffle being run by a convict-turned-artist and charity worker.

Dean Stalham, 45, from Addlestone, served 21 months in prison for handling stolen goods - including art work by Matisse - and while he was inside developed a talent for writing and painting.

He will now be putting on three plays in London on October 22 and 23 to raise money for Art Saves Lives, his organisation to help get convicts into art, and will be selling raffle tickets for the chance to win various art prizes including the Picasso self portrait.

Princess Alice Hospice and The Bentall Centre, Kingston are hosting a star-studded fashion exhibition, titled 'Fit for a Princess' with celebrity party attire being showcased in store windows. Head down to the centre and see which item catches your eye before bidding online at www.ebay.co.uk/charity from 8pm on Monday 19th October.

Over forty personalities and luminaries, including; Dame Helen Mirren, Strictly Come Dancing's Lynda Bellingham, West End stars Kerry Ellis and Leanne Jones, Samantha Cameron, Beth Ditto, Helena Bonham Carter, Geri Halliwell, Paloma Faith, Joanna Lumley, Trinny Woodhall, Fearne Cotton, Twiggy and The Saturdays have all kindly donated dresses in aid of this vital and important charity.

Staff at an Addlestone school are appealing for toys and games for pupils to use both in the classroom and in the playground.

Younger pupils at St Paul's C of E Primary School in School Lane are looking for puppets, lego, outside play equipment and complete board games and puzzles for playtimes.

Anyone who can help should contact the school on 01932 848 528.

A Michael Jackson tribute party held in Addlestone on Friday was a huge success raising £1,300 for the British Heart Foundation (BHF).

About 200 fans of the superstar donned wigs and outfits for the fancy dress party at Abbey Moor Golf, in Green Lane. There were many different Jacko's and even one of the star's pet monkey, Bubbles.

Footballer Neil Harris collected a cheque from an Addlestone-based golf centre for Everyman Male Cancer Campaign on June 27.

The Milwall striker collected the cheque for £6,660.09 which TopGolf raised at its three centres in New Haw Road, Addlestone, Watford and Chigwell, by donating 5p from every game played in June and by holding a series of fundraising events.