A local Country and Western Music Club which has raised over £16,000 for charity is folding after 25 years of dancing.

Once so popular that people had to be turned away, the Goldminers’ Country Music Club began in March 1996 and celebrated 25 years in March 2020, just before the pandemic hit.

The group have raised over £16,000 for different charities and local organisations, including Paulton Hospital, Hearing Dogs, SCARF, RNLI, Farrington Gurney Memorial Hall, Leonard Cheshire, Elm Hayes Surgery and WISH.

Alan Kingman, on behalf of the Goldminers’ Country Music Club, would like to thank Farrington Gurney for the use of the hall, all the artistes that have appeared at the club and those who have helped and supported the club throughout the past 25 years. He would also like to say a special thank you to his wife, Norma, for all of her help and hard work.

The remainder of the group’s funds have been donated to Paulton

Hospital. Terry and Caroline Wynne MBE, on behalf of the Paulton

Hospital League of Friends, accepted a cheque for £2,448.19 from Alan and Norma Kingman last Wednesday.