Hard-working Rotarians in Lyme Regis are staging a major online auction next month to boost their coffers after a year when fundraising was hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic.

Press officer Peter Fortnam explained: “The Rotary Club of Lyme Regis are proud to have been able to continue supporting local, regional and international charities and causes over the last year despite the difficulties we have all endured through this pandemic.

“We have distributed over £18,000 in the calendar year. Our largest donation was to the Dorset County Hospital Cancer Charity Appeal. We also supported the Dorset Julia’s House Children’s Hospice and the highly successful West Dorset Scrubbers Appeal, a group of volunteers from our community who did such a great job in providing much needed PPE to our hospitals, care homes and local surgeries.”

Peter added: “Local support was given to primary schools with Dictionaries 4 Life to all Year 6 pupils, Lyme Heart Beat, the Food Bank, the Lyme Regis and Charmouth Christmas Lights Appeal, Weldmar Hospice and Lyme Regis Development Trust ‘Working with Wood’.

“Internationally we continued raising funds for the Rotary Polio Plus appeal with the aim of eradicating polio from the world.

“Due to the coronavirus pandemic we have been unable to hold any of our major fundraising events this year, which has now left us with a shortfall of many thousands of pounds.”

To help raise funds this year, the Rotary Club of Lyme Regis are organising an online auction as a major fundraising event. It will be held between March 12 and 28.

Peter said: “We hope as many people join in as possible. So far we have over 60 lots to bid for, ranging from a holiday cottage weekend for up to six people, a racing car experience for two, sports fishing trips, dinner for two at a prestigious hotel and many more. All can be viewed and bid for from March 12.

“We will publish the link to the auction well in advance, on our Facebook page and on our website as well as through the medium of the press.”