Once again the Charity is the main beneficiary of the Alconbury Charity Cricket event. The public as paying spectators and the companies who are supporting us through advertising and hospitality payments help swell the much needed funds for this worthy cause. Dame Norma Major is the President of the Huntingdon Branch of MENCAP and some £65000 has already been raised through this annual charity cricket match.

This is the 15th annual charity match and the 14th year in which the profits have benefited MENCAP. Local groups and people always benefit. MENCAP Houses, especially the Laurels have been adapted and we are lucky to have such dedicated staff carrying out the work of providing homes for young people. Additional provision has recently been started in St Ives and the funding also enables establishments such as our special school and the Regional College ACER group to help individuals in their own homes. In addition charitable funds support our Stanley Centre Workshop facilities at Orchard Lane in Huntingdon where we run a Spectrum Co-operative and training for woodwork and other small crafts. 40 young people are using it. They produce items such as garden furniture for Garden centres and orders for local companies. The Orchard Lane facility also acts as a focus for extra activities such as a drop- in centre, a Careers group and evening get-togethers.

Dame Norma’s support for all this is much appreciated. We welcome her input both of a financial type like today and her understanding of the needs of people with learning disabilities. We have a hard working MENCAP committee with its dedicated fund raisers to whom we are always grateful. We are similarly grateful for the efforts of the late David Pilling and the current Charity match organisers at Alconbury Sports and Social Club for putting on this particular fund raising event. Finally, but by no means least, we owe a hearty vote of thanks to all the players, the umpires, the Bunbury’s and the Lashings organisations for freely donating their time to help our Society.

Mrs Elizabeth Dix, Vice Chairman, Huntingdon MENCAP Society