MORE than £1,400 has been donated to the Somerset Unit for Radiotherapy Equipment (SURE) appeal to equip the Beacon Centre cancer unit at Taunton’s Musgrove Park Hospital.

A barn dance to mark Diane Blackmore’s 70th birthday raised £500 for the County Gazette-backed charity and was presented by Mr and Mrs Bloackmore, of Taunton A collection pot at Salways, in Burnham, contained £22.24, while a recovered pot from Styles Ice Cream Parlour, in Burnham, had £4.47.

Other donations were £100 from Eric Piper, of Taunton; £5.15 from Irene and Pete Parker-Smith; £300 in 5p coins from Frank Long and friends from Chard and Tatworth, including his daughter Margaret Cox and her friends at work, Di Nicholls from Good Companions of Tatworth Church, Knights of the Round Table at Chard Conservative Club and others.

There was £12.20 from Taunton and District Gardeners Association; £96, including £65 in 5ps, from Norman Tomkies, of Street; £262.40 from a collection at Sainsbury's, Bridgwater; and £107.90, including £77.90 in 5ps from the Beacon Centre.

SURE have asked us to point out that Mrs Setter and friends of Taunton donated £125 in 5ps – not Mrs Secker as they inadvertently said last week.

The total this week is £1,410.36 bringing the amount raised since SURE linked up with the Gazette to £439,466.73.