Bracknell

More than £40,000 was handed over to Sebastian's Action Trust last Thursday (6th June) by Cllr Jacqui Ryder, the former mayor of the Borough of Bracknell Forest.

The money was raised during Bracknell Cllr Mrs Ryder's year as Mayor as Sebastian's Action Trust was the charity she chose to support.

Cllr Mrs Ryder, said: "I would like to give my sincere thanks to all Bracknell Forest residents, young and old, who supported my chosen charity during my mayoral year and helped to raise this fantastic amount. I could not of raised this £40,000 without their help. A big thank you to all concerned."

"This charity really meant a lot to me and I first heard of it in December 2003 when the choir I sang in chose his charity to benefit from the money raised at the Christmas concert. Sebastian died shortly after that concert and it was at the point that I decided that if I ever became mayor I would support that charity."

Sebastian’s mother, Jane Gates, said: “We have been tremendously honoured to have been Cllr Jacqui Ryder’s chosen charity for her year in office as mayor of Bracknell Forest.

“Jacqui and her husband Peter have been staunch supporters of the Trust since they first learned of Sebastian’s cause, just 10 days before he died.

“We have thoroughly enjoyed supporting them in their fundraising efforts on our behalf and are truly astounded by the amount that they have managed to raise over the last year.”

Bracknell Forest Borough Council