HE generosity of the people of Oswestry in raising thousands of pounds for the Robert Jones and Agnes Hunt (RJAH) hospital has been praised by an agricultural society.

The Reverend Prebendary David North was speaking in an Oswestry Show at the nearby rugby club on Thursday, November 10, with two £6,000 cheques presented to representatives from the RJAH's League of Friends in Gobowen and the Oswestry District and Agricultural Society.

The Reverend Prebendary explained £12,000 was raised during a charity lunch in July this year through an auction and raffle.

He said: "We raised £12,000; half for RJAH's League of Friends and the other half for the society as these were my two chosen charities.

"It was a president's charity lunch and held on July 24 in Buckley Farm in Maesbury and just under 300 people attended, mostly from the farming community and we raised the £12,000 from an auction and raffle on that same day."

The Reverend Prebendary said he never expected to raise that amount of money on the same day and praised the fundraising efforts.

He added: "It was absolutely fantastic and certainly beyond my imagination that we would raise that amount.

"But people were very generous, we had some wonderful prizes like a week in a holiday cottager in Anglesey that went for £1,000."

Lady Susan Trevor, a supporter of the League of Friends RJAH, and Victoria Sugden, the LoF charity director were there to collect the cheque on behalf of the Orthopaedic and they thanked those who supported them.

Mrs Sugden said: "I would just like to add my tremendous thanks to everybody who supported us and the wonderful lunch David put on.

"Raising this sort of money in the current climate is so difficult so we are very grateful."

Lady Trevor paid tribute to staff at the Orthopaedic for their work during the Covid-19 pandemic, including as a vaccination centre.

She added: "The way the Orthopaedic came through was amazing.

"We really need to remember those who were working at the coalface through the epidemic.

"They went in when everybody else sat at home and could not be furlough.

"They had to get in there and work very hard.

"It was really demanding and then the hospital turned itself around and ran one of the most successful vaccination hubs in the whole of England for which we should be hugely proud."

Janet Ward, the chairman of the Oswestry District and Agricultural Society collected the cheque on its behalf and thanked those who donated.

She added: "We have so much to do on the showground.

"I think we are looking at a new boundary fence which we need.

"In good time we will let you know what we have done with it.

"Thank you very much."