NWN Over 80s’ Parcel Fund primary school quiz winners crowned ahead of sports quiz and mayor’s coffee morning fundraisers

Every year since 1897, the Newbury Weekly News has been helping West Berkshire residents bring some Christmas cheer into the lives of their older neighbours, through the NWN Over 80s’ Christmas Parcel Fund, writes the fund’s coordinator, Jo Fulker.

The fund started out as the ‘Two T’s fund’ and the aim was to give a Christmas gift of tobacco and tea to some of Newbury’s oldest residents, many of whom were in the workhouses, or the ‘House on the Hill’, as it was referred to in Newbury.

Today the parcels are not means tested and go out to anyone aged over 80 living in Newbury, Thatcham, Hungerford and the surrounding villages and last year we delivered more than 1,800 parcels.

It is purely a way of thanking them for everything they have done in their life for the community and to let them know they are not forgotten.

Quizzes to raise the cash to fill the parcels are now in full swing and the Primary School Quiz night - held on Wednesday, November 6 - was a great evening for schools all over the district.

After around 80 children tested their general knowledge in a very competitive spirit, St Gabriel’s School children were crowned the winners and awarded the Newbury News Trophy.

They were followed very closely behind by the runners-up from Stockcross Primary School and both teams went home with trophies to display at their school for the year.

In total, when added to the fund matching from Greenham Trust, the evening raised over £300.

Our special thanks go to Falkland Primary School, for hosting the quiz, providing refreshments on the night and being the quiz masters.

And huge thanks to all the teachers who helped with marking the quiz answers.

If you are too old to be at school and enjoy quiz nights, our annual Sports Quiz night at The Bowlers Arms, Falkland Cricket Club is coming up soon on Thursday, November 21.

Last year’s winning team is already busy writing this fun and challenging quiz.

This evening is always great fun and in addition there are raffle prizes to be won thanks to some very generous companies in Newbury and the winning team wins alcohol to soothe those tired brains.

This weekend the mayor of Newbury, Andy Moore, would also like you to join him and other councillors for a tea or coffee and a piece of cake on Saturday (November 16).

So please put the date in your diary and help bring in more funds to help ensure the food parcels can continue to be delivered.

There is even more fundraising happening and this weekend if you are shopping at Sainsbury’s in Newbury, please don’t forget to drop a few pennies into the collection buckets.

Our thanks go to the Kennet School and Downe House School pupils and teachers who are giving up some of their time this to man the collection tins for us.

This year’s food has now been ordered and we are hoping we will soon have enough money in the pot to pay the very big bill we will be sent from Sainsbury’s.

The deadline for finalising numbers is Friday, November 22, so if you would like to add the name of someone you know, over the age of 80, to our list, or to remove a name of someone who no longer requires a parcel, please email jo.fulker@newburynews.co.uk with the name, address and date of birth or of course for anything else relating to the parcel fund.

You can scan the QR code below to donate via Greenham Trust, which is match-funding the amount donated.