Charity/voluntary

A charity yoga workshop at River Bourne health club raised £380 for the homeless charity Crisis.

Thirty-five people took part in the one and a half hour session at the Chertsey club, which was organised by yoga and pilates instructor Heather George.

Herald & News readers have been touched by the poignant story of Melissa Huggins, the beautiful 27-year-old Staines teacher who needs to raise nearly £200,000 for lifesaving cancer treatment.

Melissa, a teacher at St Ignatius Primary School in Lower Sunbury, has an aggressive, fast-spreading brain tumour and the only treatment that can save her is proton radiotherapy - a highly expensive cure only available in America.

The manager at the Two Rivers Shopping Centre will be walking over 1,200ºF coals barefoot on Saturday October 25 at 5pm.

Charlotte Fletcher, who has been manager at the centre for nearly a yearm will be given two hours training to prepare her body and her mind before walking over 20ft of hot coals in aid of Staines Shopmobility.

She said she is hoping to raise at least £100 for the cause, adding: "I am very nervous, but also confident that I will be able to take on the task and raise my target amount."

Mamma Mia Italian restaurant is holding a karaoke evening with a three course-meal to raise funds for MidasPlus Fundraising, on November 3.

Tickets for the evening at the Clarence Street restaurant, which starts at 7.30pm, are £20.

MidasPlus Fundraising raises money for charities in South Middlesex, North Surrey and East Berkshire.

Some fundraisers run marathons, some hold car boot sales but how would you fancy walking barefoot over 1,200ºC hot coals?

That is what about 40 volunteers will be doing in Staines town centre on Saturday October 25 to raise money for Staines Shopmobility and other charities of their choice.

Work to restore the pond in Moor Lane, Staines, which has been choked with weeds for about a year, will be underway at the beginning of December.

Spelthorne Natural History Museum will tackle the pond, with help from Egham and Staines Conservation Volunteers, and will meet at the pond, next to the former Swan Inn at 10am on December 7 to make a start on the work, which will include scrub clearance and removing water weed.

For more information or to help with the effort, contact Peter Routley on 01932 232344.

WHEN Iona Ovenell returned home from a frantic search of Staines for her lost purse she was amazed to return home and find it in her 12-year-old son's hand.

But young Cameron is no pickpocket - her wallet had been handed in by two good samaritans who had found it on Kingston Road.

Commuters who cycle to Staines train station will be able to get their bikes a free electronic tagging device from British Transport Police tomorrow (Thursday, 21) from 4pm-7pm.

The BTP said theft of cycles on the railway network has been an ongoing problem and the service is being offered in conjunction with Evans Cycles.

The Staines Society of Model Engineers will be holding a charity day at Staines Park on Sunday, August 17, from 1-5pm.

The miniature trains will be running and giving rides to people round the circuit in the park in Commercial Road.

The Staines and Ashford Lions annual fete will take place on August 25 at a new location - Staines & Laleham Sports Association in Worple Road.

The 33rd gala in conjunction with the 3rd Ashford and 1st Staines Scout Groups will start at 12.30pm and entry costs £1.