BOOM! Wokingham’s annual fireworks display raised more than £30,000 for charities and good causes across the borough.
The event, which includes a torchlit procession from Market Place, a fairground, food stalls and the display, is organised by the Wokingham Fireworks Charitable Trust, a consortium of community groups.
Held in Cantley Park’s event field, the ticket-only event was sold out.
The £31,000 proceeds are separated among good causes nominated by the organising clubs: Wokingham Rotary, Easthampstead Rotary, Wokingham Lions, Windsor Forest Unicorns, and Thames West Unicorns.
They had a target of £25,000, so this was beaten by £6,000.
The charties that received donations are: Wokingham Foodbank, Thames Valley Air Ambulance, Bracknell Foodbank, Tropic of Cancer, Farnborough Air Sciences Trust Museum, Life Education Wessex and Thames Valley, and Alexander Devine Children’s Hospice Service.
A further £500 was donated to each of the Borough Mayor and Town Mayor’s charities: Wokingham Foodbank, and Kaleidoscopic UK.
Wokingham Borough Mayor Cllr Caroline Smith’s said she was delighted.
“Times are hard, resulting in many local people relying on foodbanks. I know that this donation will benefit Wokingham Foodbank so they can continue the good work they are doing to help people in need,” she said.
“Thank you to the Wokingham Fireworks Charitable Trust for this donation and for the hard work that goes into making this event an evening to remember. A special thanks to everyone who attended the fireworks display and generously donated to these very worthy causes.”
And the donation has been welcomed by foodbank manager Annette Medhurst.
“We are thrilled to receive such a generous donation to our work,” she said.
“The Foodbank has been incredibly busy this year and with the cost of living crisis, we predict this will continue in 2023.
“It really shouldn’t be this way – households relying on charity to feed their family, however, our community is very generous and donations like this really help us support those in need. We are truly grateful for the support.”
Wokingham Fireworks Charitable Trust chairman David Gold said: “Our thanks go to the people of Wokingham Borough who attended our community event and supported our efforts to raise money for local charities and deserving causes.”
