OVER £3,600 was raised for the County Gazette-backed Somerset Unit for Radiotherapy Equipment (SURE) over the past week.

Among donations to the charity, which helps fund equipment for the Beacon Centre cancer unit at Taunton’s Musgrove Park Hospital, was £2,560.56 from a fun day at Tor Rugby Club organised by Louisa and Ricky McKiven in honour of Irene Winifred McKiven.

Other donations were £200 raised by the Brethren of the Somerset Tablers Lodge; £35 from a Christmas fair at Hinckley Point; £132.48 from a craft fair at the Beacon Centre; and £193.65 raised by Gemma Rainey-Pleece and friends, who walked along the canal in fancy dress, from Bridgwater to the Beacon Centre.

There was £5 from PAS and Mrs M. P. Taylor; £2 from G. Larcombe; £17.62 from the collection pot at Castle Bridge Newsagents, in Bath Place, Taunton.

And also handed over was £33.75 in 5p coins from Andrew and Tina Potter, family and friends; an anonymous donation of £10; £125 from St Margaret's Church, Thorne St Margaret; £25.70 from the collection pot at the Old Sale Rooms, Wellington.

Pauline Harrison collected £4 in 5ps; there was £97.17 from a collection at Angel Place, Bridgwater; £32.31 from the collection pot at Wembdon Post Office and Stores; £140.96 from the Beacon Centre, including £133.40 in 5ps, which included an anonymous donation of £4 in 5ps and £20.06 from Joanne Mcnulty and friends.

This week’s total of £3,615.20 takes the amount raised since SURE linked up with the County Gazette to £480,316.