A DENGIE company has raised vital funds for a breast cancer charity thanks to its generous staff and residents.
Burnham resident Bonnie Smith organised two fundraising events at Dengie Crops in Southminster for Breast Cancer Awareness Month in October.
Bonnie said: "This charity is close to many peoples hearts, I chose Breast Cancer Now to be our first charity event in honour of my brave mum, Brenda Argent, who is now living her best life in Spain, thanks to the amazing care of Southend hospital and charities such as Breast Cancer Now who not only support the patients but their families too."
Brenda and her partner Loui, and JJ's Bar in Spain bosses Rob and Jane, got everything started with generous donations.
Bonnie also went to business after business in Burnham for prizes for the tombola and said she's extremely grateful to all who helped.
"The star prize in our Tombola was provided by Sandra Mills from Bev’s Bucket," Bonnie added.
"Bev’s Bucket came about when Bev, a Tesco Burnham worker, set up a bucket for loose change to raise money for charities in the store.
"Sadly Bev died a few years ago and Sandra took it over in her honour. Bev’s favourite charity was supporting breast cancer and therefore we were generously given a big hamper.
"Glen Williams was the lucky winner and he is giving it to his mum - minus the bottle of port."
Catherine Wilson of Pelican Prints was first to respond to Bonnie’s Facebook appeal for prizes.
Read more: Dengie charity event to raise money for Breast Cancer Awareness Month
Cathy Vale for Morrisons also provided goodies, as well as Maldon Tesco's and Dengie staff.
Businesses Grey & Co Soft Furnishings, Sewn Personally For You, Marts Parts, The Lovely Shop all also gave great prizes to be won by Dengie staff.
"Additional thanks to staff who helped make the days a great success – Mark, Marcus and Kim in the Engineering Team for building 'Bat the Rat', Shane Hasler for the graffiti, Dave Vince and Mark Pearson for setting up areas for games, Wendy Sumner for helping with portion control and serving in the tea room, and Les Abbott’s wife who made the most scrummy lemon drizzle tray bake and three whopping big cakes too.
"We hope that Shane Hasler wasn’t stopped on the way home with an enormous pink unicorn strapped to his back on his motorbike.
"Shane went all out buying ticket after ticket on the tombola, determined that his unicorn-mad daughter would be the winner."
Dengie Crops manager Sheena Vella also came up with decorated 'booby cakes' which were made by Newells Cakes and Bakes and delivered to Dengie's Howells Farm site to help its staff join in from further afield.
Sheena Vella, manager at Dengie Crops, said: "Thanks to Bonnie Smith and team Dengie the charity is to receive a whopping £638.56 from the activities of fun and games and lots of eating over Dengie’s two sites and two shifts.
"An additional £100 donation has been made direct to the charity from the company."
This was the first of Dengie’s wellbeing charity fundraisers, instigated by Bonnie Smith and the generosity of those who dug deep in their pockets to support this cause and help raise awareness of breast cancer.
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