Pattaya Mail turns 12

Vol. XIII No. 52
Friday December 30 - January 5, 2006

Wheelchair appeal raises 130,008 baht

Then doubled by BUPA U.K. to 260,016 baht

The Queen Victoria Inn on Friday December 9 was the setting for the Charity Club of Pattaya’s charity event to raise funds for the disabled in Issan who were in desperate need of wheelchairs and walking aids. The event was also held to celebrate that the Charity Club of Pattaya now has an official home.

Tony Banfield and his wife Dolic from Saren’s Asia donated the entire cost for 2 wheelchairs to Malcolm Boden of the Charity Club of Pattaya.

Even though the attendance was down due to all the pre Christmas events, this didn’t deter those who did attend to drink the barrel dry that John Smith’s had donated, and try and clear the Queen Victoria’s Gin and Tiger cans!

The sponsors who were in attendance on the evening were Kevin Fisher of Cranes and Equipment Asia Co Ltd, Tony Banfield G.M. for Sarens Asia Co Ltd, Donna Pollard BUPA Thailand representing BUPA U.K., Rob Murray from Fluid Asia Pacific and Vic King of the Queen Victoria Inn. Unfortunately, due to work commitments, Terry Schofield of North Shore Real Estate couldn’t make the evening and was sorely missed.

Kevin Fisher of Cranes & Equipment Asia donated the entire cost for 2 wheelchairs to Malcolm and Christina Boden of the Charity Club of Pattaya.

Rotary Club Krasang-Buriram President Peter Rottmann also attended, as he was the one that had approached Malcolm and Christina Boden about the plight of these unfortunate children and young adults.

The children are the Charity Club’s main priority, but it looks like with the amount raised some of the adults can also be helped.

The club has had an amazing response to this, their latest appeal. Terry Schofield from North Shore Real Estate Jomtien and BUPA Thailand each donated the entire cost of a wheelchair.

Kevin Fisher from Cranes and Equipment Asia Co. Ltd, Tony Banfield, G.M. of Sarens Asia Co, Ltd and Middy Campbell each donated the entire cost for 2 wheelchairs.

Bertrum Bear helped the Charity Club of Pattaya raise over 130,000 baht, which was then doubled by BUPA U.K.

The generosity didn’t stop there, as Donna Pollard, who works for BUPA here in Pattaya, contacted community connections at BUPA in the U.K. who quickly donated the money for a specialist three wheeled bicycle and then agreed to match the money raised baht for baht!

Of course, Bertrum Bear, the club’s well loved mascot was in attendance, proudly dressed in his John Smith T-shirt, keeping the singer company and overseeing the raffle, now re-named the John Seymour Collection!

The Charity Club of Pattaya would like to thank all sponsors, all who donated money for the wheelchairs and to all those who attended and supported the Charity Club yet again.

The fantastic sum of 130,008 baht was raised and thanks to BUPA U.K. this has been bumped up to a grand total of 260,016 baht.

Meanwhile, club members have been doing the accounts with Vic and suddenly realised that due to the fantastic amount raised on Friday December 9, the Charity Club of Pattaya is immensely proud to announce to supporters, sponsors and friends that since the club was formed (on July 1, 2004), the club has just crashed through the million baht marker. We are so proud that we have so many committed supporters and friends of the Charity Club of Pattaya.

Friends and supporters should all be congratulated on this achievement as the Charity Club of Pattaya couldn’t have done any of this without their valued support.

The charities that have benefited from the money raised money are: The School for the Deaf, the Street Kids, Wat Pong School, the Mason’s Tsunami Appeal, the Camillian Centre, Scholarships for Underprivileged Children, and the Children of Issan’s Wheelchair & Walking Aids Appeal.

The Charity Club of Pattaya’s motto will always remain the same: “What we raise is what they get.”

Malcolm and Christina Boden as co-founders and Vic King of the Queen Victoria Inn as treasurer of the club would like to thank everyone who has and still does support the Charity Club of Pattaya.

charityclubofpattaya@ yahoo.com