Silent auction raises hundreds for Africa charity

Sir Peter Bottomly MP with charity trustees, Ian Straw, Carol Groves and Karyn Hinks

Rustington-based group The Friends of the Mombasa Children held its fundraiser at the Rustington Methodist Church, in Claigmar Road, this month – an event that was attended by Worthing West MP Sir Peter Bottomley.

Sir Peter placed successful bids on three items, including a fruit press and a baby walker.

The evening raised a grand total of £680.

Charity spokesman Chris Azzaro said: “The night was quite lively. People were bidding silently with pieces of paper and there was a really nice atmosphere to the whole event.

“The last few minutes were really frantic with people bidding right up to the wire.”

The charity helps to improve the life of needy primary school children in Mombasa, Kenya.

The auction was all part of the organisation’s latest fundraising push to raise £90,000 to build a new brick classroom for a Unity school.

Chris added: “This is an oasis amid an area of extreme poverty that many of the children live in. We provide midday meals and free medical care for the pupils, so it’s a real lifeline.”