Three local charities spoke movingly about their work at The Forester’s unsung local heroes presentation evening held on Friday.

First up was local charity Forest Sensory Services is a small friendly charity, which provides support to those with sensory impairment. Their ethos is to promote and encourage our clients to remain as independent as possible with their impairments.

Forest Sensory celebrated its 30th Anniversary2023 and depends on volunteers to support the services they provide which include trips and outreach sessions.

The second charity was Forest Pulse which spoke about its vital work in the Forest supporting parents of children with disabilities. The group supports any family with a disabled child in the Forest - with the ethos that all young people should have the opportunity to do what they want to regardless of disabilities

The second charity featured was Forest of Dean Baby Bank which exists to support parents of babies and young children who are facing times of need. They provide prams, pushchair, clothes, baby food , shopping vouchers- in short anything that struggling parents might need when faced with problems in life.

The three featured charities share the proceeds of the raffle and charity auction which took place over the evening with prizes ranging from a round of golf at St Pierre, to a selection of fine wines and champagne.

“We’d like to thank all the local businesses which helped by donating prizes to the raffle and the local florists who provided table decorations which we later auctioned for the charities,” said Carole Richards of The Forester.

Golf Experience (Marriott St. Pierre £100 Amazon gift card. ( Paul -Misty Windows) £40 gift voucher (Grindles - Cinderford) Lanson Champagne ( Julie Morgan) Foot Massager ( Amanda Jones) £20 voucher (NG Thai - lydney) £20 voucher (NG Thai) Afternoon Tea Voucher (Speech House) Meal for Two (Curry Leaf - Cinderford) Baileys Freixenet Prosecco + passion fruit mixer Archers Peach Schnapps Voucher (Brisland Meats - Coleford) Christmas Gin Mulled Wine Pomegranet & Clementine Candle Salt Candle Holder + Yankee Candles (Wyedean Health, Cinderford) Stained Glass piece (Jo Snowdon) Mosaic Kit (Rachel Shilston) Jack Daniels Gift Set Sunday Lunch for Two (The Gamekeepers- Coalway) Pair of cinema tickets (The Savoy- Monmouth) Old Spice Gift Set Old Spice Gift set Bayliss and Harding Gift Set Gift Voucher ( Celestial Adornments) Famous Grouse Gift Set Yankee Candle Gift Set Strawberry and Vanilla Gin Pink Prosecco Miniture Drinks Hamper Voucher (The Art of Coffee - Coleford) Book (Forest Books and Crafts- Coleford) Voucher (Forest Deli) Sunday Lunch for Two ( Blacksmiths Arms) Christmas Gin and Wine (Councillor Tasha Saunders) Prosecco (Moon & Co) Prosecco (Eskimarket) Christmas Potted Plant (Coinros) Table Decorations Westons Florist Poppy’s The Flower Pot Blooming Mad Buffet Tescos Lydney Tescos Cinderford Sonia Tyrrell Catering Camerons Butchers Co-op Cinderford

The Curry Leaf

Lydney Town Hall Trust