Oxtalk
Talking newspapers for blind and visually impaired people in Oxford & district
Oxtalk 'Sound Orb'

Swinford Toll Bridge Collection

May 12, 2007

Swinford Toll Bridge Collection

A number of hardy committee members and volunteers braved inclement weather to man the Swinford Toll Bridge at Eynsham on Bank Holiday Monday, 7th May. The bridge owners allow charities such as Oxtalk to take over the bridge on bank holidays and this year we got lucky and were picked from amongst the many applications the bridge receives. We put up huge signs on the bridge approaches telling everyone it was a charity collection day and who we were, and also festooned the bridge with balloons to give the day a festive air.

Our strategy seemed to work, with most people digging out their loose change and giving us well over the obligatory 5p they have to pay. Our bright orange buckets filled very quickly with cash and we had to keep hurrying back to the toll house office to empty them when they became too heavy!! By the time we all left the bridge at around 7pm we had truly collected bucket loads of money and so that night the task of counting it all started. Four days later we had a final tally – £1,625!!!! None of us could believe it, but it will be put to very good use as we start to build our technology-change warchest in anticipation of some significant expenditure to come.

Finally another big thank you from me to all of those who came along to help out on the day.

Graham Piercy

Chairman


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