OVER the past 11 months, Journal readers of all ages have enthusiastically and creatively raised money for the Breast Cancer Unit Campaign.

From tiny toddlers taking part in Walk for Wards at Wilton House and children at Chafyn Grove painting their little fingers pink to the Young Enterprise team at South Wilts School donating their profits and Wiltshire College students holding a Christmas fair, everyone has been keen to support the appeal.

Salisbury and Wilton firefighters struck a pose for a charity calendar, the Market Inn in Salisbury created ‘star buys’ on its specials menu and Carl Chambers, of In-Excess, opened up a dinosaur park, while intrepid trekkers from Salisbury and Wilton embarked on a Grand Canyon adventure and villagers in Hale and Woodgreen enjoyed an open garden event.

Formula 1 legend Murray Walker was the star guest at a buffet supper in Fordingbridge, residents at Gloucester House held an Easter community fundraiser, a special play was staged at Studio Theatre and the Salisbury Rotary & Chamber Community Group organised both a corporate quiz and a corporate golf day.

District nurse Karen Shearing, from Coombe Bissett, won this year’s Wilton Hunt point-to-point charity flat race in aid of the appeal, retired breast care nurse Barbara Borwell, who helped set up the breast care service in Salisbury more than 30 years ago, organised a village tea party, while Radio Odstock held a spring fair during its 24-hour fundraising broadcast.

In Broad Chalke, they held an Indian supper, in Amesbury hotel and restaurant staff at the Holiday Inn took part in a series of fundraising events, in Downton staff at 3663 wore a Christmas jumper to work and in Salisbury, groups and companies took part in a fundraising netball competition organised by Girls Love Fit.

Other events included the Rockbourne Fair, a clay pigeon shoot in memory of Doug Gower, summer balls, a 10km walk at Martin Down by Salisbury Ladies Hockey Club and the Stars Appeal Christmas Raffle.

This year’s record-breaking Walk for Wards attracted 2,000 people while 82-year-old Michael Beck officially started and ended a fundraising walk with Wally the Wheelbarrow, despite having undergone an operation just days before.

Readers also did skydives, ran marathons, cycled and walked long distances and climbed mountains.