WiRE Burton raised £200 at its August Summer Social for its charity of the year, Me & Dee – enough to pay for a one week British seaside holiday for a family facing a short and uncertain future.

The money was raised through a raffle on the night and rounded up to £200 from WiRE Burton group funds. A great array of prizes – ranging from a singing lesson to bottles of Prosecco – were all donated by the 32 women who attended the sold-out meal at the Branston Golf Club in Burton-on-Trent, Staffordshire.

Me & Dee runs two caravans in Mablethorpe. One is specially equipped to offer families affected by a life-limiting illness a traditional holiday so they can make special memories. The second is used by military families affected by serious physical or emotional injuries including post traumatic stress.

Maria was guest speaker at the July meeting of the WiRE Burton network where she explained more about her charity and how and why she formed it. The women who attended that meeting were so moved by the stories she told, some of which are on the charity’s website, that they donated just over £90 on the night.

WiRE Burton is holding a Christmas social in early December when there will be another raffle in aid of Me & Dee. One of WiRE Burton’s leaders, Elaine Pritchard, said: “We are hoping to raise at least £110 at our Christmas meal so that we will have paid for two holidays.”

Maria said: “Thank you to everyone at Burton WiRE for raising such a fantastic amount and inviting me to raise awareness of Me & Dee in the business community through its meetings, on social media and in its newsletters.”

Pictured  is the charity’s founder, Maria Hanson MBE with two of WiRE Burton’s leaders Alison Bradley and Lorraine Holden.