Rose and Crown fundraiser for Startright pre-school

A race night on Friday was followed by family activities the day after and was so successful landlord Kevin Webb has decided to set up a regular charity event.

Kevin said: "We had the whole weekend trying to raise money for the Startright playgroup for under-fives - the group is fundraising so it can build a safe outdoor area for the children to pay in."

Half of the proceedings from race night went into the kitty, with an auction and raffle at the end of the evening. The event was run by Nim and Sally Whitmarsh of Bexhill Carnival Committee.

Kevin said: "It was really good - there was a fairly decent turn out, and we raised 230 that evening."

The next day was given over to family fun, including games and facepainting as well as a bouncy castle.

"There was a really nice atmosphere and it was very relaxing."

The fun day was organised by The Party Package which provided a bouncy castle as well as Iggle Piggle and Spongebob Squarepants to entertain youngsters all afternoon.

Kevin's connection to Startright is that his son Alfie is one of the children attending the pre-school sessions held in St Stephen's church hall, but he has decided to hold a regular fundraiser now for other local causes.

He said: "What I want is for this to be a community pub, so I am going to be trying to do one charity a month, working for local charities within Bexhill and the surrounding areas...so the next fundraising event we do will be for one of the regulars whose grandson is severely disabled."