Hospice Receives Cheque after Model Railway Exhibition

Cranleigh Rotary's 50th anniversary year is being celebrated by a number of major public events and fundraising activities.

One of these was the Festival of Model Railways, which took place on Saturday, 21 September. Some 20 exhibits were on display along Village Way and inside the Village Hall, Guide HQ and the Band Room

The layouts were provided by Surrey, Sussex and Hampshire Model Railway Clubs. In particular, this was probably the last chance to see the actual layout of the old Cranleigh station and outbuildings (see photo). Outside there were stalls to browse and several steam engines in operation.

To add to the excitement, there were several layouts for young people to actually ‘drive’. Another layout, with a value of at least £250, was raffled at the end of the festival and the proud winners were Peter Phillips and his son (above).

Some 400 adults and children attended and the profits from the event, (including a top-up donation by the Club), were donated to Shooting Star Chase Children's Hospice near Guildford. 

On 8 November, Club President Richard Kenyon and Rotarian Tom Cornwell presented a cheque for £2,200 to Anne Bridgman, Head of Care at the hospice.

Photo gallery below - captions : 

Top left: One of the steam engines in action. 

Top right: The old Cranleigh Station layout which was made and run by three generations of the same family.

Bottom left: The Village Hall was full of model railways.

Bottom right: Cranleigh Rotarians on duty.